REVIEW: Despite Its Great Cast, THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR Is Cursed By Vapid Storytelling
From the makers of Snow White & The Huntsman comes a follow-up few were really asking for. Can a phenomenal cast save Winter's War from mediocrity? Hit the jump to read my take!
By Minty -
Apr 08, 2016 04:04 PM EST
Serious question: how many of you remember what happened in Snow White & The Huntsman? Somehow, I doubt I’m the only one who forgot. Fortunately, the general audience’s long-term memory matters very little here. In what ultimately ends up being a very shrewd decision, Universal casts aside one mediocre fantasy blockbuster, in order to pave the way for… another mediocre fantasy blockbuster. The big difference is, this one’s considerably easier to sit through.
So far, the marketing campaign for The Huntsman: Winter’s War has been incredibly vague about what this film actually is in relation to the aforementioned 2012 movie. Is a prequel or is it a sequel? Believe it or not, the answer is in fact both – and that genuinely works to its advantage. Just as the titular character’s backstory begins to settle into a monotonous and dull pattern, the movie switches things up – fast-forwarding to a time period after the events of its predecessor.
This adds a memorable spin on what would have otherwise been a completely by-the-numbers follow-up. As a result, not everything adds up - the franchise’s timeline gets a little sketchy – but the underwhelming response to the first movie justifies it. Why waste time trying to satisfy the continuity of a movie that nobody really enjoyed? It is, in the end, a necessary sacrifice, I suppose.
Sadly, the screenwriters don’t cease taking liberties with the plot there. The overarching story is a mess, riddled with dubious character motivations and logical inconsistencies. It’s easy to see most of the twists-and-turns from a mile away, and, unsurprisingly, it culminates with a predictably CGI-heavy finale. Elsewhere, the dialogue ranges from generic fantasy waffle to cringe-inducing drivel. If it’s solid fantasy writing you’re looking for, you’re better off watching Game Of Thrones.
Where Winter’s War does succeed is when it distances itself from its oh-so-serious predecessor (and indeed this recent Thrones-inspired wave of pseudo-dark family fantasy films). The film’s much more light-hearted middle act represents its strongest 40-minute stretch, allowing some of its cast to embrace the more fantastical elements without ever falling into parody.
Chris Hemsworth benefits from this the most, channeling his popular peformance in Kenneth Branagh's original Thor to produce a genuinely endearing protagonist, blessed with cheeky wit and deadly charm. His back-and-forth with co-star Jessica Chastain is a lot fun too. Occasionally their romance may cause a few eye-rolls (thanks, largely, to some dubious writing once again), but the two actors rise above their lackluster material to showcase some decent chemistry on the whole.
Off-camera controversy may have forced Kristen Stewart out of this sequel, but the removal of her joyless protagonist is good news for everyone – especially Stewart herself. While the César award winner has gone on to pursue projects more suited to her skillset, Hemsworth carries himself well in her absence, while Chastain is able to deliver a far stronger heroine than Snow White ever was.
Emily Blunt’s Ice Queen is more of a mixed bag. Initially, she's a bit of a nuisance, seemingly only onscreen to shout and throw frosty hissy fits. It’s a horrible waste of an actress as talented as Blunt. As the film progresses, she finds a second wind, thriving from the challenges presented by Charlize Theron’s Ravenna (who is in this movie far less than the studio led you to believe).
The dichotomy of the two queens represents the film’s most interesting aspect. It’s very rare to see two actresses be given such seemingly meaty roles in a blockbuster movie (three, if you count Chastain). Unfortunately, it’s a relationship that never really feels fully explored, rendering both actresses’ villains over-the-top and hammy. The prospect of watching Theron & Blunt let-loose was such a huge selling point of this movie, you feel robbed by its inability to deliver.
Elsewhere, the supporting characters proved to be one of the more pleasant surprises of Winter’s War. The decision to reduce the eight original dwarves down to one was wise, and it allowed a returning Nick Frost time to shine as the movie’s most affable character. Joining Frost this time is Rob Brydon as the cantankerous Gryf and Sheridan Smith as the resourceful Bromwyn. It’s to Smith’s credit that the feisty she-dwarf ends up impressing far more than either of the two queens.
Tonally, it’s inconsistent. The movie strays between The Chronicles Of Narnia and Game Of Thrones, never quite settling upon either – though usually leaning towards the former. Director (and former VFX supervisor) Cedric Nicolas-Troyan handles the film’s visual palette well, letting his imagination run wild with the creature and set design. Some of the CGI wizardry looks a little off (especially Blunt’s icicles) – the cost of being too ambitious with some of the action sequences, I fear.
On the whole, The Huntsman: Winter’s War offers little more than a conventional fantasy tale, but it still (somehow) outclasses many of the genre’s recent offerings. The prequel/sequel ambiguity ultimately ends up its greatest strength, helping it distance itself from the dour Snow White & The Huntsman. However, the fact three actresses as talented as Blunt, Theron and Chastain could be perceived to have been wasted in any movie is unforgivable. They deserve better – and so do we.
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