“Snow White & the Huntsman” was one of the pleasant surprises of 2012. It twisted-up a classic fairy tale with a smart script and a killer Evil Queen in Charlize Theron. She’s back, along with Chris Hemsworth, for this “Huntsman” spin-off.
As Emily Blunt, who plays the Ice Queen Elsa – I mean Freya – has stated during her publicity tour for “The Huntsman: Winter’s War”, this is a prequel that quickly turns into a sequel. That may be the only unique element worth noting and remembering in an otherwise forgettable second chapter. That – and the uncredited Liam Neeson narration. Honestly, listening to his voice was the only thing that kept me going during the slow half-hour set-up.
Once the “Winter’s War” timeline takes us past the events of the original, this film becomes “Frozen” meets “Mad Max” meets “The Hunger Games” – as Hemsworth’s Huntsman Eric joins forces with his long-lost-love Sara (played by Jessica Chastain) – a red-haired archer who never misses. They’re accompanied by a pair of male and female dwarves (who serve as awful comic relief). They should have been named Dopey, Boring, Cliche and Uninspired.
Freya really is a lot like that Disney animated phenomenon character: her hair is white as snow (though that princess only appears once – with her back to us so we can’t see it’s not Kristen Stewart from the first film), she goes a little mad because of love (and events from her past have forced her to think “love isn’t an open door”) and she’s got a frigid relationship with her sis. However, Ravenna is the anti-Anna – all about vengeance. Theron was so good last time, but her role is sadly slashed in half here.
We spend close to an hour with the Huntsman, Huntswoman and their companions in the woods – and these scenes are as dull as, well, a dull blade. Once we hit the climax, in which all four main characters are involved (and fighting each other), “Winter’s War” finally takes-shape in the form of the passably-entertaining second chapter it should’ve been all along. There is mild intrigue to see which sides these characters would choose and then if they’d decide to change their minds, but not enough to, “happily” give a positive recommendation.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” gets a C-.
Running Time: 114 min.