Starting this Summer, Museum staffers Andi Wang (right) and Anel Muller (left) will be reviewing movies--past and present--inspired by, related to, or produced by Disney. In honor of The Walt Disney Family Museum's first anniversary YouTube contest they starred in, Wang and Muller will be rating each movie on a scale of facial hair: scruff (worst), mustache, goatee, mutton chops, and full-on beard (best). Today, we kick-off the "Wang and Muller, Watching Movies" series with a look at the new Snow White and the Huntsman, which is out in theaters today!
[This review does not contain any spoilers.]
It’s a cold, winter’s day—a soft blanket of snow covers the ground, as the scene opens up on a beautiful queen, pricking her finger on a rose bush. The contrast of her deep, red blood on the fresh snow leads to the birth of a princess, whose lips are red as the rose, hair as dark as ebony, and skin as white as snow. Turn the page of this story to the death of the true Queen, who is quickly replaced by a younger, even more beautiful woman—a woman with darkness in her that the kingdom will soon come to realize and fear.
No, this is not the plot for a new episode of Game of Thrones, but a retelling of a classic tale as old as time: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The new take on this story—Snow White and the Huntsman—gives a more fleshed-out look at the characters of Snow White (Kristin Stewart), the Evil Queen who has been named Ravenna (Charlize Theron), and more interestingly… the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth).
In our opinion, the movie should be renamed to The Evil Queen and the Huntsman as Theron’s performance stole the show. With the camera eye focused on her face, there are priceless moments where—in a matter of seconds—the audience can feel such deep hatred for the Queen, then is suddenly manipulated into feelings of pity, and even then, compassion. Theron’s commitment to the character is unbreakable, and as compared to other recent representations of this character, she is—by far—the epitome of the perfect Evil Queen. Like her counterpart in the Disney classic, her beauty is unparalleled and her fixation on the destruction of Snow White is steadfast.
On the other hand, the Huntsman, who only gets a cameo in the original Disney film, is now a main character in this retelling. Just like in the 1937 classic, the Huntsman saves Snow White in the forest, but with this retelling, he goes on to become her protector. Hemsworth makes the Huntsman into a complex—yet relatable—character who runs the gamut of emotions, which seem to contradict throughout the story—from being harsh to vulnerable, but always completely valiant. In the end, the Huntsman greatly appeals to the audience… and to Snow White.
Unlike the classic portrayal of Snow White—a princess who is fair, delicate, feminine… and some would even say, helpless—Stewart’s take on this character makes the princess into one of angst, amibition, and moreover, one who's rough around the edges—a force to be reckon with, if you will. This representation confuses the message as to “who is the fairest one of all”—but perhaps, “fairest” means something different in this film. If it means a strong, just, smart, and kick-butt kind of princess… only then would "fair" be an accurate description of whom Snow White really is. Though not our favorite portrayal of Snow White, Stewart brings a unique look to this classic character—but, we still feel that the casting of Snow White would have been better portrayed by another… namely Once Upon a Time's Ginnifer Goodwin (Wang’s pick) or Natalie Portman (Muller’s pick).
The movie itself is a feast for the eyes with realistic special effects that seamlessly bring the audience out of their seats and into the film, without interrupting the flow of the story. Though there is a muted--and sometimes dark--color palette, certain scenes boast a vibrant aesthetic, which uses colors to inspire hope in darkness. The costumes were not only beautiful in their craftsmanship, but also serve as a supporting role to the characters that they adorn. Specifically, the amazing gowns that Theron dons throughout the film, help to not only captivate the audience—validating the Queen’s beauty—but also serves as a reminder to the shadows inside.
Snow White and the Huntsman takes elements from both the original Brothers Grimm fairy tale, as well as the 1937 Disney classic, but adds original twists and embellished storylines to freshen it up for new generations. The movie definitely stole our hearts, but we won’t be going near apples anytime soon! Overall, we say… get to the movies and see this film. It is AWESOME.
One last thing: Did we say that Charlize Theron was amazing? In case we haven’t, we’re saying it again—she is remarkable, and dare we say, award-winning! (Wink wink).
On our scale of facial hair (Scruff, Mustache, Goatee, Mutton Chops, Full-On Beard), Wang and Muller give this movie... GOATEE! (But Theron gets the Full-On Beard). Because she is amazing. Did we already say that?
The views and opinions expressed in the "Wang and Muller, Watching Movies" series are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position, thoughts, and opinions of The Walt Disney Family Museum, Walt Disney Family Foundation, or any of its affiliates.