Stewart, Theron, Reign Supreme in Medieval 'Snow White' Tale

No longer the damsel in distress, Snow White becomes a warrior princess to take back what is hers.

If you’re feeling fairy tale déjà vu all of the sudden, you’re not alone. Less than three months ago, director Tarsem Singh traded his stylistic vision of mythological gods and titans for a more family friendly take on the classic Snow White tale in Mirror Mirror. And that was all fine and great for its targeting its youthful demographic, but Rupert Sanders too has his own Snow White tale to tell, one treading the same mature waters as Pan’s Labyrinth and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. 

Snow White and the Huntsman conveys the most consistent plot points found in any interpretation:  a princess who’s fairest in the land, a vain usurper queen challenged by the beauty of said princess and a supporting cast of seven dwarves, a conflicted huntsman and the iconic magic mirror (or in Huntsman, a faceless mirror man).  Where Huntsman zigs where other interpretations have zagged shines in its encompassing gritty and medieval vibe, in which Snow White assumes the mantle of the kingdom’s savior, a warrior princess leading her army into battle against a psychotic seductress, who has stolen everything that is rightfully hers.