Pros: A guilt-free cinematic escape with impressive costumes.
Cons: The occasional bad gag, but it’s all in the name of fun.
Kicking off 2012’s fairy-tale trend is Tarsem Singh’s Mirror Mirror; the first-to-be-released of the two films based on the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs tale set for release this year.
Compared to the darker and more grown-up Snow White and the Huntsmen – due out in June and starring Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron - this portrayal of the fair beauty that befriends seven dwarfs to escape her evil stepmother is the frothy and childlike take; colourful and easy-to-watch.
It stars 23-year-old Lily Collins, daughter of Genesis’s Phil, who is perfect as Snow White – the princess and prisoner to her evil Queen stepmother played brilliantly by Julia Roberts. Since the death of White’s father, the evil, lavish and power-mad Queen has turned the Kingdom’s once happy town into a poverty-stricken neighbourhood robbed of their hard earnings to pay for the Queen’s extravagant taste in parties and fine catering.
For the Queen however, there are troubles in paradise, as her vulgar spending becomes the cause for her spiralling financial debt. When Armie Hammer arrives in town as the fabulously wealthy Prince Alcott, she gets an idea: through the help of her enchanted mirror and malicious spellbinding, she will convince Prince Alcott to marry her and her financial problems will be a thing of the past.
However, Prince Alcott only has eyes for Snow White, who in this telling – far from needing a prince to save her from her begrudged and evil stepmother (although this does come in handy) - is feisty, independent and makes it her own mission to save the deprived townspeople exploited by her stepmother.
Upon White’s escape from the kingdom, she comes across the seven dwarfs in the snow-covered woods. However unlike other takes on the fairytale, this septet, apart from equipping Snow with useful sword techniques and defence mechanisms to save her townspeople and defeat the evil stepmother, has little to offer the film – most notably in their comic value (or lack there of).
There have been many criticisms towards this film, most notably for its straightforwardness and its occasional bad gags – all of which I deem to be unfair. Mirror Mirror is no doubt aimed at the child and tween age group, but there are sufficient doses of satisfying adult humour and sarcasm here that make this film a pleasurable and guilt-free watch. It’s not perfect, I’ll give you that, but to look at through non-judgemental eyes, it’s a bold and magical film, decorated wonderfully by the late designer Eiko Ishioka’s designs, who bows out on a high note with her fantasy-like and self-designed ornate costumes. Overall, Mirror Mirror is a healthy dose of guilt-free escapism.
Released: 2nd April 2012.
By Jennifer Tate
Twitter @JennieTate
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