Snow White And The Huntsman (2012)

Snow White And The Huntsman - 2012

Our next film is 2012's "Snow White And The Huntsman", starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth.  In this telling of a familiar story, a young woman must face her evil stepmother in order to take her rightful place in her father's kingdom.

The film's supporting cast includes Sam Claflin, Sam Spruell, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Toby Jones, Vincent Regan, Noah Huntley, Liberty Ross, Rachael Stirling, and Nick Frost.

In the Kingdom of Tabor, Queen Eleanor walks through her garden and sees a rose blooming amidst the snow.  She wishes for a daughter as white as the snow who has lips as red as blood, hair as black as raven's wings, and a heart as strong as the rose.  As she touches the rose, she pricks her finger and a few drops of blood fall on the snow.

She later gives birth to her much wished for daughter, whom she names Snow White.

As she grows, Snow White is shown to have a heart tender towards animals.  When she brings her mother a wounded bird, we discover that Queen Eleanor is being visited by doctors and is said to be dying.

Indeed, she does die, leaving her husband, King Magnus, and her daughter utterly bereft.

Later on, King Magnus goes to war against a strange invading army.  It seems they are made of glass.  After a victory against them, he discovers that the glass army had a locked carriage which contained a prisoner.

Inside the carriage, is a beautiful woman named Ravenna.  King Magnus looks kindly on her and eventually decides to marry her.

As she prepares for her wedding, Ravenna meets Snow White and tells her that she can never replace her mother, but she feels that the two of them are bound.

The time of the wedding arrives, and Ravenna begins her march up the aisle followed by Snow White.

As she walks, Ravenna can feel that all eyes are not on her but on something else.

She turns to see what everyone is admiring, but she can only see Snow White.

She continues towards the altar very disturbed by the young girl who captivates an entire audience.

On her wedding night, Queen Ravenna tells her husband of another king she married, and how she would never allow herself to be weak again.  "First I'll take your life, my lord, and then I'll take your throne," she says as she plunges a knife into his heart.

She goes to the gates and opens them, allowing an army inside, which is led by her brother, Finn.

She is later confronted by Snow White, who runs away.  As she tries to escape with her father's good friend Duke Hammond and his son, William, her escort is killed, and the Duke and his son are forced to leave without her.

Ravenna has her mirror brought to her, and she utters that infamous phrase, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?"

The mirror comes to life and confirms that it is she who is the fairest in the land.

We find out that Queen Ravenna's reign is poisonous.  People turn on each other, the land dies, and so does hope.

The years pass by and Ravenna keeps Snow White a prisoner in the castle, locked in a tower.

Ravenna's beauty is unchanged over the years.  We find out she eats the hearts of living things and partakes in a series of bizarre bathing rituals.

Ravenna survives an assassination attempt, but the ordeal leaves her weak and her beauty starts to fade.

She restores her power, strength, and beauty by draining the youth and beauty from young women of the kingdom.

Ravenna asks her mirror once again who is the fairest in the land.  The mirror tells her that it is now Snow White, and she is the reason Ravenna's power wanes.

The mirror tells Ravenna that if she consumes Snow White's heart she will become immortal.  Ravenna instantly calls for her brother to bring her "the King's daughter".

Snow White, however, outwits him.  She makes a break for it, escaping the castle through the sewer system and landing out in the ocean.

She's led by some birds to a horse who is resting on the beach.  Snow White mounts it and rides off in the opposite direction of the castle.

She escapes into the Dark Forest, where Ravenna cannot reach her.  She collapses onto the ground.

Finn brings Ravenna someone who can help her, a huntsman.  Ravenna tells him to find Snow White and she will bring back his dead wife.  "You will do this for me, huntsman!" she commands as she sends him on his way.

The huntsman makes quick work of finding Snow White.  When he demands payment before he hands her over, Finn tells him that Ravenna does not have the power to bring back the dead.  The huntsman decides to help Snow White, and the two flee deeper in to the Dark Forest.

Elsewhere, Duke Hammond is made aware that Snow White still lives.

The huntsman begins to teach Snow White some survival skills, including how to use a knife and how to protect herself.

Duke Hammond's son (and Snow White's childhood friend) William joins Finn's army in an effort to get to Snow White before Finn can.

Ravenna continues to sulk close to home, crushing all life around her to death.

Later on, Snow White and the huntsman are attacked by a troll.  Snow White charms it, and it walks away peacefully.

The huntsman begins to wonder just exactly who this person is that he's rescued.

After leaving the Dark Forest, they come upon a women's fishing village.  "Only demons and spirits pass through the Dark Forest.  Which are you?" asks one of them.  Snow White tells them that they mean them no harm.

These women have deliberately scarred their faces to protect themselves from Ravenna.  The huntsman learns who Snow White really is when he talks to one of the women.

Finn and his men track them to the village, but Snow White and the huntsman escape once again.

Ravenna continues to unravel in Snow White's absence.  We learn that her mother put an enchantment on her when she was very young, and that the enchantment is the reason for her unnatural powers.

Snow White and the huntsman get ensnared by some dwarves.  When Snow White reveals her identity to them, they cut them down and help them.

They lead them to Sanctuary, the home of the fairies.

Amidst these strange creatures, the group spends the night in safety.

The next morning, Snow White explores the Sanctuary on her own, though she is closely followed by the group.  She sees a white hart, and he bows to her.  One of the dwarves, named Muir, says, "You have eyes, huntsman, but you do not see.  You, who have been with her the longest.  She is life itself.  She will heal the land.  She is the one.  Can't you feel it?  Are your ailments not gone?  Gold or no gold, where she leads, I follow."

Immediately afterwards, Snow White and the group are attacked by Finn and his soldiers.  

During the battle, William identifies himself to Snow White.  The huntsman fights Finn and kills him.

His loss is immediately felt by Ravenna.

Snow White, the Huntsman, William, and the dwarves continue on their journey to Duke Hammond's castle.

Ravenna, however, has another trick up her sleeve.  This task summons all of her strength.

William gets Snow White alone.  During the conversation, he offers her an apple.  She takes a bite out of it, and it turns out to be poisoned.  She immediately starts to become ill.

It was not William, however, who gave Snow White the apple.  It was Ravenna in disguise.

Before she can kill Snow White properly, she is interrupted by the huntsman and William and she vanishes into a flock of black birds.  Snow White is unconscious and believed to be dead.

She's taken by stretcher on the rest of the journey to Duke Hammond's castle.

Laid out inside the castle's chapel, Snow White rests peacefully.  The huntsman keeps a vigil over her.  He tells her how her spirit, strength, and heart reminded him of his dead wife, Sara.  He kisses her and then departs.

In that moment, life returns to Snow White's body as tears stream down her face and she opens her eyes and takes deep breaths.

Snow White comes out of the chapel and addresses herself to a stunned Duke Hammond and company.  She inspires his troops into battle.  "For I have seen what she sees.  I know what she knows.  I can kill her."

They march on Ravenna's castle amidst flying arrows and flame throwers.

The dwarves get the portcullis opened, which allows Snow White and Hammond's army to penetrate the castle.

Ravenna watches the goings on from high in the castle, waiting for the moment when she will face Snow White.

She doesn't have to wait too long.  Snow White shows up and the two battle it out.  "You cannot defeat me!  I've lived too many lives.  Ravaged entire kingdoms.  I have been given powers that you could not even fathom!  I will never stop.  Never.  I will give this wretched world the queen it deserves."

Snow White ultimately does defeat her, and the battle is won.  As she dies, Ravenna's true age begins to show.

After establishing herself as Queen, Snow White is crowned in a splendid ceremony attended by old friends and new.

The huntsman stands at the back of the cathedral, and the two acknowledge each other with a glance.

Cast rundown:

   Kristen Stewart....................................Snow White

   Charlize Theron....................................Queen Ravenna

   Chris Hemsworth...................................The Huntsman

   Sam Claflin...........................................William

   Sam Spruell..........................................Finn

   Ian McShane.........................................Beith

   Bob Hoskins..........................................Muir

   Toby Jones............................................Coll

   Vincent Regan.......................................Duke Hammond

   Noah Huntley.........................................King Magnus

   Liberty Ross...........................................Queen Eleanor

   Rachael Stirling......................................Anna

   Nick Frost..............................................Nion

And that's all for Snow White And The Huntsman.  This was the second "Snow White" film to be released in 2012.  Earlier in the year, a more whimsical version entitled "Mirror Mirror" was released.  Charlize Theron gives a terrific performance as the terrifying Queen Ravenna.  She said that the most uncomfortable costume for her to wear was her wedding dress.  Apparently, the corset was very restricting.  By the time she made it to the altar, she said she was almost hunched over.  Also, during a scene which required her to scream very loudly, she tore a stomach muscle.  The horrors that Queen Ravenna inflicts are not entirely fiction.  Her character is based on Erszebet Bathory, a Hungarian noblewoman who (according to over 300 witnesses and survivors) tortured and murdered hundreds of young girls.  She allegedly even bathed in their blood to retain her youth.

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