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The Snow White and the Huntsman, released in 2012, offered a new and an ominous perspective of the famous classic fairy tale. The film, directed by Rupert Sanders, featured an acclaimed ensemble with Kristen Stewart portraying the protagonist, Snow White, Chris Hemsworth as The Huntsman and Charlize Theron as the evil Queen Ravenna.
KRISTEN STEWART as Snow White
in SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN (2012) pic.twitter.com/AZYFtw4wN7Advertisement
— Best Of Kristen (@bestofkristenj) December 18, 2024
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Unlike most of the predecessors, the 2012 adaptation revamped the tale and presented it to the viewers as a high fantasy adventure coupled with jaw dropping visuals and a somber narrative.
At the heart of the story lies Snow White, who daringly flees the evil queen’s slammer only to be pursued by a huntsman who has been tasked to kill her. However, the story takes a shocking detour when the huntsman hits his senses and pairs with Snow White to oust the wicked ruler.
The most important highlight of the movie lay in how the female protagonist was presented, a brave and bold fighter and not like past ones, where she had to be the helpless princess waiting to be rescued.
One of the major highlights of the film was its visible grandeur. The deep dark forests, the magical creatures and the stunning battles added more weight to the movie. The production design and the costume choices earned its recognition as well.
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Charlize Theorn’s portrayal as Queen Ravenna was well received by the critics and Chris Hemsworth, our beloved Thor, played his role to perfection, which is expected from an actor of his stature.
The movie was a success from a commercial point of view. It had a budget of around $170 million but went on to garner $396.5 million worldwide. In North America alone, Snow White and the Huntsman collected $155.3 million. (per Box Office Mojo)
The movie also had a solid opening weekend in the US, making $56.2 million and placed itself at the top in over 30 international markets.
Despite the box office success, the movie got mixed reviews from pundits. Even though many praised the acting performances and visuals, it was the pacing and the story which got highly criticized.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said, “It falters in its storytelling, because Snow White must be entirely good, the Queen must be entirely bad, and there’s no room for nuance. The end is therefore predetermined. But, oh, what a ride.”
Time Magazine’s Mary Pols praised the reimagined tale, saying, “The invigorating Snow White and the Huntsman actually breathes new life into an old story.”
As of now, the movie has a decent 6.1 rating on IMDb and a below par 48% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie however, got nominated for two Academy Awards in the Best Visual Effects and Best Costume Design categories.
Due to its box office success, a sequel to the movie, The Huntsman: Winter’s War was released in 2016 with Hemsworth and Theron reprising their roles and new cast members such as Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain joining in. But just like most of the sequels, this one turned out to be a disaster and mostly earned negative reviews.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office stories & updates!
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