Disney's version of the Brothers Grimm tale remains the most iconic, but 2010 gave us a live-action alternative that also serves as an updated take.
Mirror Mirror, featuring Lily Collins as Snow White, gives the famous character a feminist twist. She rescues two men in the woods and fights a beast herself. She still falls in love with a man, but Snow no longer relies on him. Besides, Snow acknowledges her desire to reverse the traditional fairy tale ending in which the prince saves the princess.
The dwarves are no longer mine workers, but warriors. They team up with Snow in times of battle. It is also cool how the dwarves have springs that can extend their legs. That's why they could fight with much-taller men at the beginning.
The evil queen is still present and perhaps nameless, but she adds even more tension to the plot besides simply plotting Snow's murder. She marries her father only to send him into the woods. The single queen then places a wintry curse on the kingdom via her magic mirror. It is no longer just a talking mirror; the queen actually steps into it. Another cool tension-building twist is the queen's plan to marry Snow's fiancé.
In addition to the clever twists, there is also a well-orchestrated classical score (fun fact: Alan Menken of Disney fame worked on the music). The sophisticated costumes, especially Snow's yellow floral dress, and set perfectly complement the score.
The best part about the story is the creative introduction: the evil queen narrates over shots of Snow White's life up to that point in figurines. Before the story goes to the present day, the evil queen asks whether it is her story or Snow's.
As creative and clever as the film is, there are some problems. There are scenes that move too fast or too slow at times, making it difficult to stay engaged. The occasional-dim lighting could be a factor even though most of the film is well-lit.
Snow may be a feminist update of the iconic princess, but there is still not much character development. As she fights battles, not much about her changes other than her hairstyle and outfits.
Plus, it is interesting to watch the evil queen get a makeover. They used weird things such as bird poop and bee stings to pamper her. A face mask made from bird poop is unsanitary, but it would make sense if the tale takes place centuries ago (which, judging by the setting and costumes, is nearly obvious).
Mirror Mirror is a solid live-action alternative to Disney's animated classic. It may be far from perfect, as least not as I hoped, but it still presents an updated take on the classic fairy tale.
No comments:
Post a Comment