The Huntsman: Winter’s War is the “prequel” that no one asked for. In 2012, she played the villainous role in “Snow White and the Huntsman” as the wicked Queen Ravenna.
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The Huntsman: Winter’s War has a similar effect; a attractive film with gorgeous scenery and fabulous costumes, but I don’t expect to see any kids dressed as the Huntsman this Halloween.
On the plus side, if you stick with it long enough, “Winter’s War” features some of the same impressive visual effects that distinguished the first film, and Smith provides a few welcome laughs at the expense of the other dwarfs.
To take over various lands – for no apparent reason other than being constantly irked – Freya recruits and trains an army of huntsmen, including young warrior lovebirds Eric (Hemsworth) and Sara (Jessica Chastain). Before that, you’re told about sisters Freya (Blunt) and Ravenna (Theron) and how they parted ways after Freya faces betrayal in love, several years after being by her sister’s side. And, once you’ve seen the movie, you’ll notice that you can definitely pick up on those sweet Sorsha and Madmartigan vibes.
We already knew Charlize is a force to be reckoned with from the first movie, and the additions of Jessica and Emily are so on point. Winter’s War predictably spends more time in rendering bigger scale CGI and making the background score louder, and the story department remains defunct. But when Freya discovers that her sister was responsible for her child’s death, the two sisters must battle to the death. It also doesn’t actually have a war, though technically it is set in winter. What this return to the world of huntsmen and evil queens fails to bring back is any sort of a cohesive story. Kristen Stewart, who played the fairest of them all in the original, is nowhere to be seen. Snow White (who is glimpsed only briefly) has defeated Ravenna and now needs Eric to locate the Magic Mirror and ensure it is never used for evil. In his travels, Eric runs into four short people whose British accents are not only authentic but the quartet of Nick Frost, Rob Brydon, Sheridan Smith and Alexandra Roach steal pretty much every scene they are in with predictable but amusing banter.
“The Huntsman: Winter’s War” is rated PG-13 for fantasy action violence and some sensuality; running time: 114 minutes. 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.
Of the main cast, Hemsworth and Chastain are physically dexterous but rather hampered by their distracting Celtic accents.
Move over, Cinderella. Those are fairy-tale fighting heels. She was the only good part of Snow White and the Huntsman and having her in this film might have worked.
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Over long “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” drones on for nearly two hours until the narrator (Liam Neeson) reappears.
