I’m really disappointed that I couldn’t like this movie more than I did.  There were some really positive things about it.  It was a well-made visually stunning film with very excellent art, effects, costumes, and settings.  The action was generally quite good.  On the other hand, the pacing was very strange as was the focus and theme at times.  Also, Charlize Theron was completely ridiculous in this movie.

First time director Rupert Sanders runs hot and cold throughout the movie.  Some of the visuals are just absolutely, stunningly beautiful.  In particular there is a segment in a forest that is rife with excellent imagery and effects, and was, I’d argue, the most interesting thing that happened in the movie.  Makeup and costume were extremely impressive, as were many of the sets.  Unfortunately, these things alone a movie do not make.  Sanders did not get a great deal out of his actors, nor did he manage to create compelling relationships between those characters.

With the exception of Charlize Theron, I felt the actors turned in serviceable-to-good performances.  Charlize’s Ravenna was the hammiest most over the top thing.  She spent the entire movie screeching her evilness all over the place, pacing back and forth broodingly.  Blech.  I haven’t seen any of the Twilight movies, so this was the first time I’d seen Kristen Stewart.  I thought she did fine, even if it wasn’t spectacular.  Chris Hemsworth was his usual self as The Huntsman, which I suppose is on the plus side of the margin.

From a storytelling standpoint, they missed.  I mean, it’s a fairy tale, so it’s not like the screenwriters had a huge amount to work with, I guess, but it felt very uneven all the same.  I criticized Charlize Theron earlier, but I’m not sure what actor could have turned that script into anything great.  Further, they spent the entire movie developing Ravenna (all the while neglecting Snow White and the Huntsman) as a one-dimensionally evil character and then tried to reinject some sympathy at the very end.  Whatever.  Also, what was with the dwarves?  I’m not one for political correctness– but they were played by big people and only used as pure punchline in this movie, and I thought that was pretty weak.

With some of the pluses in this movie, I really wanted to like it… But unfortunately, its many flaws weighed it down like an anchor.  Also, I’m encouraged by what Rupert Sanders was able to deliver his first time out, so I’ll be keeping an eye on him.  You might like this movie if you’re a fantasy fan, but otherwise I can’t recommend this.

2 stars.