Snow White and Stories Yet to be Known

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all!”

Who would ever forget this famous line from the all time children’s favorite fairytale  Snow White and the  Seven Dwarfs  made more popular by Disney’s adaptation of it as an animation. I bet that most girls of young age, if not all, would easily relate to this while the not-so-young would just easily shrug it off.

Taking  note of this,  Director Rupert Sanders take us a notch higher in his depiction of 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman  based on Brothers Grimm’s German fairytale. The movie incorporates elements that not only kids could relate to but rather whips off a concoction of beauty, magic, love and pain which I bet could poke every viewers’ thoughts and feelings.

I was already rooting for this movie when I saw it’s trailer a month ago. It turned out to be more than what I ever expected. It is anticipated to have superb visual and sound effects popping out of the screen. When you get to watch it, it gets you high as your lenses and tympanic membranes feast on its splendour. But what’s more remarkable is the mystery cloaking every scene moves you and tickle’s the mind to think. The movie is a play of literal translation of the epic fairytale and the metaphors of the elements integrated.

"Lips red as blood. Hair black as night. 

Bring me your heart my dear, dear Snow White." 

- Queen Ravenna

Characters, unlike what we have already seen in cartoons and other movies, were introduced an inch deeper as we are presented with their aspirations, fore-stories, pains and inner demons.

Snow White (Kirsten Stewart), all known as the sweet and vulnerable princess, was showed as a warrior ready to fight for what is righteous. I would also say that anyone could simply show pity to Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) , the dark and wicked witch, once one knows the story behind her revenge. Eric, the Hunstman (Chris Hemsworth), though flaunting a brute and all too-masculine vibe is surprisingly hiding a husband wounded from his wife’s death.

 

One major twist in the movie is that it was graced by eight dwarves instead of the popular seven (which every kid would dispute). One of which was Gus, who died after being pierced by an arrow to protect Snow White(that probably explains the seven). It is common in a fairytale for the princess to end up marrying the Prince. Who would ever know that a Prince could not bring Snow White to life but a Huntsman instead.

Drafted in a Victorian setting, the contrast of the dark castles against the whimsical forest and its creatures (somewhat like in Avatar) strike a balance in the film. The iconic figures such as the apple and the magical mirror were retained but tweaked a bit. Some representations of the psychological and emotional dilemmas of man could also be cited (e.g. the Dark Forest, the raven, age etc.).

“I’ve seen what she sees. I can kill her.” - Snow White

In the end, as most fairytales do, is a happy ever after when light defeats the evil. Overall the movie is worth the bucks. If you want a new kind of fairytale and adventure, I recommend that you watch this. Just don’t start comparing the books and other stuff, just enjoy and relax.