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| Image from Wikipedia |
First off, the visuals in this flick are nothing short of wonderful. Some of the things depicted may be overly weird from time to time (the mirror man, the fairies emerging from birds, queen goo, etc), but it was all solid by my book. I also really enjoyed the overall plot of the movie, which took a pretty creative approach to the same old story we all know.
Performance-wise, the cast is decently strong. Chris Hemsworth basically plays a more naturalistic Thor here, which is more than fine by me. Charlize Theron is absolutely spectacular as the Evil Queen, to the point where you wish there was more Queen, less Snow White. Which brings me to the bad...
The BadIf Kristen Stewart wasn't the chick from Twilight, she would not be in this movie, and the movie would be far, far better off. I do wonder what this could have been like if Snow White had any personality at all, or possessed any of the charisma the characters keep saying she does. Just a hunch, but I'd bet it'd make for a better film.
Another problem is the length of the movie. The movie is listed as running 2 hours and 7 minutes... and it felt every bit as long, if not longer. The pacing of the film is a bit plodding in spots, but if the Snow White scenes weren't so boring, I don't know if I'd feel the same way.
Verdict
This is a fine movie, except for the presence of Kristen Stewart (I hesitate to call it a performance). All the ingredients are here for a strong summer flick, but when the leading lady is as milquetoast as it comes, it's a tough hurdle to overcome. Still though, the movie isn't a waste of time, if only for Charlize Theron's masterful turn.
