Snow White and the Huntsman - Much better than I expected

I think the best thing to do with this film is to go into it with low expectations. I'm no fan of Kristen Stewart and am getting pretty fed up with Hollywood milking every conceivable old story (and now fairytale) and repackaging it as something new (I've already watched and hated their adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood).

So, it was fair to say I went into Snow White and the Huntsman not expecting too much. And, for once, I was pleasantly surprised.

For a start, Charlize Theron carries the film. She seems to love being deliciously over-the-toply evil as the nasty Queen and Thor (sorry, Liam Hemsworth) is an excellent leading man (if, at some times, a little too similar to his Hammer-wielding alter ego). The dwarves (who come into it about half way) are also quite amusing and, by the time they do come into it, add another dimension to the film.

I've never read Grimm's original Snow White. I've only ever seen Disney's classic cartoon adaptation, but, amazingly, Snow White and the Huntsman follows the story pretty well. The only (slight) drawback is Kristen Stewart who, despite her best efforts, still seems to come across like Bella Swann in different clothes.

But, if you forgive her (and can believe that a supposedly magical `all knowing' mirror would claim that Kristen Stewart is `fairer' than Charlize Theron) then you should be able to enjoy the film. It's certainly different enough to the animated version (I certainly don't remember any mutant trolls and fairies in the 1930s version). In fact, Snow White and the Huntsman comes across more like a Lord of the Rings entry than a fairytale, but, in my opinion, that's no bad thing.

Snow White and the Huntsman makes up for the travesty which was Little Red Riding Hood and I now hope that the upcoming Sleeping Beauty live action remake (with Angelina Jolie as the evil witch) will be half as good as this.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that