The year 2012 may go down in history as the year of Snow White. There is Ginnifer Goodwin’s character on the ABC show “Once Upon a Time,” the Kristen Stewart version in the action-filled Snow White and the Huntsman, and the most recent addition to the list, Lily Collins’ sweet and humorous Snow in Mirror Mirror.
Directed by Tarsem Singh and co-starring Julia Roberts as the evil queen, Mirror Mirror is a unique take on the classic Grimm tale. The traditional elements are all there: Snow White is the beloved daughter of a kindly king, who, after the death of her mother, marries a wicked woman obsessed with staying beautiful and powerful. There is a handsome prince (Armie Hammer) and a group of seven lovable dwarves (Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo, Danny Woodburn, Sebastian Saraceno, Martin Klebba and Ronald Lee Clark). But Singh gives a new spin to the story, giving more agency to his Snow and more focus to the Queen’s quest to retain power, in this case her desire to marry the handsome prince herself.
Collins’ Snow is lovable and cute with a hint of mischief. The script by Melisa Wallack and Jason Keller is surprisingly funny and full of adult humor that works seamlessly with the Grimms’ story. Hammer’s prince is both charming but also delightfully dumb at times, and the dwarves are a bit one-dimensional but work wonderfully as a group, just like in the Disney original. Nathan Lane as the Queen’s valet is as hilarious as ever, though he is not used as much as I would have liked. The only acting failure in the film is Roberts as the Queen. Her accent is ridiculous, and most of her scenes feel boring and endless. Where the rest of the film is young and fun, Roberts is dull and forgettable.
Visually the film is absolutely stunning. Singh uses CGI to create a beautiful fairy tale world that is a mixture of a western story and eastern designs. His own Indian heritage is clear in every set and ensemble, as well as the Bollywood-style dance scene in the credits. Singh’s use of color help drive the story and make it both poignant and beautiful. His only real failing is in his interpretation of the Queen’s magic mirror, a hut in another dimension that is confusing and unnecessary.
The most striking feature of the film is the costumes, designed by the late Eiko Ishioka. They are elaborate and colorful, encompassing the personalities of each character and making more mundane scenes feel magical.
All in all, Mirror Mirror was delightful and fun, an entertaining new take on the Snow White story full of witty one-liners and tongue-in-cheek humor that is missing from the usual action-packed or melodramatic adaptations.
–Aliza Weinberger
