Snow White & the Huntsman offers an appropriately dark tale on the fairytale that inspired it. However, it is undone by uneven acting, problematic pacing and a lack of a strong script.

In a twist to the fairytale, the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) ordered to take Snow White (Kristen Stewart) into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the evil queen (Charlize Theron). And of course, he falls in love with her, but the romantic element is very much absent in the film.

The one thing I dislike about this film is that it felt like a first chapter rather than a full story which is a frustrating approach to a fairytale. The Huntsman declares his love for Snow White but we never find out if she loves him back. Or if she’d rather be with Prince William (Sam Claflin).

The acting was uneven.

Charlize Theron plays a man-hating sorceress whose dark magic plunges the entire kingdom into despair and horror. Her performance was absolutely amazing. Best villain thus far.

Kristen Stewart plays Snow White. Her performance was awkward as always. No expressions and her british accent was inconsistent which really frustrated me.

Chris Hemsworth plays the Huntsman in the film. He looked like Thor except with brown hair, but his performance was well done. His scottish accent was consistent, thank goodness.

When you have one actress/actor who delivers the performance of his/her character with such duende, it overshadows the rest of the cast members, which I felt happened with this film. Theron’s performance really blew everyone out of the picture.

The script of the film may be weak, but movie is visually gorgeous and refreshingly imaginative. From the stunning costumes of multi-Oscar-winner Colleen Atwood to the set design and cinematography, it is simply an impressive piece of visual storytelling.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆