Almost everyone I know has heard of the story of Snow White and the 7 Dwarves. I love the 1937 Disney cartoon movie that is instilled in so many people’s mind with it comes to Snow White. Snow White & The Huntsman is a 2012 live action fantasy, action movie based on the original Brother’s Grimm tale. The film is directed by Rupert Sanders and written by Evan Daugherty, Martin Solibakke, John Lee Hancock, and Hossein Amini. The cast includes Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, and Bob Hoskins.

So after Queen Eleanor of Kingdom Tabor pricks her finger on a rose thorn and drops of blood falls on the white snow, she wishes that she had a daughter as white as the snow, lips as red as the blood, hair as black as a raven’s wings and a heart as strong and defiant as the rose she found, still blooming in the snow. She later gives birth to such a child and names her Snow White. While Snow White is still a child, the queen falls ill and dies. King Magnus “rescues” Ravenna, after a battle with the Dark Army, and enchanted by her beauty marries her in a day. Ravenna, who is in fact a powerful sorceress and the queen of the Dark Army kills Magnus on their wedding night and lets in the real Dark Army soldiers, led by her brother Finn. Having decided that no man shall use & abuse her again, her army takes over Tabor with only a few men escaping and she holds Snow White as a prisoner and locks her in a tower. As the years pass Tabor suffers under Ravenna’s rule as she periodically drains the youth from the kingdom’s young women in order to maintain a spell once cast by her mother to save her life from marauders who kidnapped her, which allows her to keep her beauty.

Finally when she asks her magic mirror as to who is the fairest one of all, the mirror replies that it is now Snow White, who has come of age, and not her. She also learns from it that Snow White is destined to destroy her unless Ravenna consumes the young girl’s heart, which will make her immortal. However before Finn can bring her to his sister, Snow White escapes into the Dark Forest, where Ravenna has no power. Finn hires a drunk widower, Eric the huntsman, to lead the search for the girl in the Dark Forest as Eric is one of the few people who has survived going into the mysterious forest. Eric first refuses but is persuaded when Ravenna promises to revive his deceased wife, Sarah. Eric tracks down Snow White but helps her get away from Finn when he learns from the latter that Ravenna cannot resurrect the dead. Snow White promises him gold  if he will escort her to her father’s associate Duke Hammond’s castle. Finn gathers another band of men to find Snow White. Duke Hammond learns that Snow White is alive and has fled into the Dark Forest. William, Snow White’s childhood friend, argues with his father and then leaves the castle to find Snow White. Later he joins Finn’s band as a bowman in order to find her. Eric has no idea who Snow White really is but knows she is special when she charms a huge, angry troll that attacks them. They then encounter a group of women in boats who take them to a fishing village populated by women who have disfigured themselves in order to escape Ravenna. While there, Eric learns Snow White’s true identity as the princess. He then leaves her in the care of the women but returns when he sees the village being burned down by Finn’s men. Snow White and the Huntsman evade them and eventually meet a band of eight dwarves namely Beith, Muir, Quert, Coll, Duir, Gort, Nion, and Gus. A blind Muir perceives that Snow White is the daughter of the former king, and the only person who can defeat Ravenna and end her reign.

As they travel through the fairy sanctuary the group is attacked by Finn’s men. In the fight Eric battles Finn and kills him after Finn taunts him with details of his murder of Eric’s wife. William reveals himself and helps defeat Finn’s men while Gus sacrifices himself by taking an arrow meant for Snow White. William joins the group which continues the journey to Hammond’s castle. However in the morning Ravenna, disguised to look as William, tricks Snow White to eating a poisoned apple and the girl faints to the ground. William & Eric attack and wound Ravenna but she gets away by transforming herself into a few ravens and flies back to her castle. William kisses Snow White b without seeing that she has shed a solitary tear & she is taken to Hammond’s castle. Once there Eric, regrets that he couldn’t protect her nd kisses her, breaking the spell; she awakens after a second tear has fallen. She then rallies up the Duke’s army and they attack Ravenna’s forces. Snow White confronts Ravenna, but is overpowered. Ravenna is about to kill Snow White and consume her heart when she uses one of the moves Eric taught her on Ravenna and kills her, telling her that she cannot have her heart. Duke Hammond’s army is victorious. The kingdom is once again in order and peace as Snow White is crowned Queen.

Visually stunning and exciting for the most part but…I think the actors fail in convincing us with passionate performances. Especially Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart (what a choice for Snow White). I thought Charlize Theron was quite good. 8 outta 10!