After star Kristen Stewart declined to return for the sequel to the 2012 hit Snow White and the Huntsman, the producers chose to press ahead without her, but The Huntsman: Winter’s War never finds a reason for continuing the story without its protagonist (other than, of course, another chance to make money at the box office). A war between queen sisters Freya (Emily Blunt) and Ravenna (Charlize Theron) begins after Freya’s secret lover backstabs her and kills her infant daughter.
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The Huntsman: Winter’s War is pretty much a movie where Chris Hemsworth wields a pair of battle axes and still manages to melt more hearts than smash heads. The first half plods, with unnecessary narration and clumsy dialogue (partly the work of co-screenwriter Craig Mazin, Ted Cruz’s college roommate) explaining how Freya, betrayed by her baby-daddy, becomes an ice queen.
I’m not exactly sure who was out there clamoring for a sequel to 2012’s “Snow White and the Huntsman”, but somehow here we are. With all of the behind the scenes controversy, a change in the lead role, a new director, and four years in between installments, does The Huntsman: Winter’s War make a strong case for its relevancy?
This proves to be a bit of a problem for Eric and Sara, as they start to fall for each other. The laziest move in the creativity department is Chastain’s lady warrior and Blunt’s snow sorcerer who are obviously cheap knock offs of Elsa from Frozen and Merida from fearless. Chris Hemsworth manages to bring his character to life and there are some striking visuals, but that can’t make up for a dreary mess. The film is a B-Movie adaptation of a classic that’s all spectacle and zero charm. Kristen Stewart, who played the fairest of them all in the original, is nowhere to be seen. Theron just speaks slowly and does her best to accentuate the “s” to sound more threatening and evil.Sloppy storytelling and directing aside, there is actually some fun to be had in The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Like how Snow White accidentally discovers in an upsetting way that Ravenna’s magic mirror is, like, totally the One Ring to Rule Them All or something. They come across two female dwarves. She does have sizzle with Hemsworth, and while it’s a change of pace from the manly Thor, he finds some success playing Eric with a certain Indiana Jones-y “This is the worst plan ever” vibe. “It was the first time I met him at Critics” Choice Awards and he talked to me about it.
There are a few good things about The Huntsman Winter’s War.
Chastain plays Sara, the warrior and love interest of Hemsworth’s Huntsman character.
When the cracks in this movie show, which is often, the gorgeous special effects serve as glue.
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Not much in the way of surprises dot The Huntsman’s landscape. Winter’s War doesn’t lean into its inherent kitschiness almost enough, yet at least she is a riot as a screaming-mad villainess.
