Starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron
In a dark twist on the classic fairy tale a Huntsman is sent into the woods to capture Snow White so that the evil queen can reign supreme. However things do not go according to plan when the Huntsman instead becomes her protector and joins forces with several dwarves.
I liked the look of this film from the initial trailer. It looked dark, action packed and something a little bit different in the telling of a classic story. I am not Kristen Stewart’s greatest fan, and I am still glad to say I have never watched any of the Twilight film, but in this film she is helped on screen by other good actors in Hemsworth and Theron not to mention some of the awesome dwarves – McShane, Hoskins, Winstone, Frost, Jones, Marson. The film did at times have a feel of Lord of the Rings about it, an archer, little people, a long trek to reach an end goal, a troll, a magical forest while at the same time sticking to the classic Snow White story. The sets, costumes and scenery all looked fantastic and the battle scenes looked great on the big screen.
Recommendation
I wouldn’t say this film is the greatest I’ve ever seen but it is a nice different take on a classic story. Hemsworth does some axe throwing, much like Thor’s hammer, but what makes this film better are the famous dwarves. They have the best lines and add the comedic aspect to break up the seriousness of the film. If you liked the trailer then I would say go and see this film. If you were a bit unsure then you can wait for it to be released.
Film Fact
Viggo Mortensen was in talks to star as the Huntsman, but negotiations fell through and Mortensen dropped out. The Huntsman could be seen as a similar type of character as Mortensen’s Aragorn in LOTR.
Following thefriedgold’s recent post on top 10 films to look out for in the rest of 2012 and the comment of not having Brave (how can Brave not make the top 10? It’s Pixar dammit) on the list, here are the next 10 to look out for. These could go either way in terms of quality, but I think they could be worth a watch.
A Fantastic Fear of Everything
Directed by Crispian Mills
Starring Simon Pegg, Sheridan Smith
Crime author Jack has an overriding fear of being murdered. His big break comes followed swiftly by a bigger breakdown.
Reason to watch: Pegg.
Release date: 8th June
Ted
Directed by Seth Macfarlane
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis
The creator of Family Guy steps in to the film world with this: a boy has a teddy bear that is alive. What happens if the bear grows up with the boy?
Reason to watch: Lewd humour and the juxtaposition of a child’s toy drinking and smoking. Could be laugh a minute or all the laughs could be below.
Release date: 1st August
Brave
Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman and Steve Purcell
Starring Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Robbie Coltrane
Merida, an independent young archer, is forced to undo a curse she has brought upon her family.
Reason to watch: Are you kidding? Pixar’s output is second to no-one. Even if you “don’t watch cartoons” I would recommend you see this film – it will change your mind. Plus you get a bound-to-be-excellent short before the main event. See this.
Release date: 17 August
The Watch
Directed by Akiva Schaffer
Starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade
Four friends form a neighbourhood watch to get away from their wives. They are forced in to action when they discover an alien invasion plot.
Reason to watch: Formerly “The Neighbourhood Watch”, The Watch reunites Vince Vaughn with Ben Stiller in a film written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Superbad). Potential for comedy greatness if they are all on song…
Release date: 29 August
Total Recall
Directed by Len Wiseman
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale
A factory worker suffers from nightmares. But are they actually nightmares – could they be suppressed memories trying to return and could he be a spy with the power to change the world?
Reason to watch: A remake of the Arnie version, directed by the guy who gave us Die Hard 4.0 (enjoyable action, worthy addition), Colin Farrell headlining, written by the guy who wrote Equilibrium (dsytopian sci-fi). I enjoy a big budget complex sci-fi and if they can get close to the quality of the 1990 version, this could be good. The trailer looks really good. Plus Kate Beckinsale is in it.
Release date: 22 August
Dredd
Directed by Pete Travis
Starring Karl Urban, Lena Heady
No nonsense lawman Judge Dredd teams with young Judge Anderson to track and take down a drug supplying terrorist organisation.
Reason to watch: Forget the Stallone version, self-confessed fan Urban is taking on the helmet and becoming The Law, promising a more faithful interpretation of the 2000AD character.
Release date: 7 September
The Sweeney
Directed by Nick Love
Starring Ray Winstone, Damian Lewis, Hayley Atwell, Ben Drew
To protect the law and their city, virtuoso flying squad cops are forced to break the law.
Reason to watch: An update of the 70’s TV show sees Nick Love and Ray Winstone do what they do best – The Sweeney is a Lahndahn film filled with Geezahs fighting other Geezahs. But this time Love is working with an established property and Danny Dyer is nowhere to be seen so I’m hopeful this Brit-flick, which looks classy in the trailer, is going to be a worthwhile watch.
Release date: 12 September
Looper
Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt
Joe is a hitman, killing people sent back from the future. One day his future self is sent back. What does he do?
Reason to watch: We have JGL playing a young Bruce Willis trying to kill him in a time-travel film directed by the man who brought us Brick. Two heavyweight actors and a strong director playing with a mind-bending premise. What more reason do you need?
Release date: 28 September
Taken 2
Directed by Olivier Megaton
Starring Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Maggie Grace
The father of a kidnapper Bryan Mills killed when his daughter was abducted has retaliated by taking something precious to Mills. This has pissed him off and a rampage will begin.
Reason to watch: If you like action films and haven’t seen Taken yet then you have a treat awaiting you. If you have seen Taken then you know exactly what the reason to watch this is: Liam Neeson waging a one man war. Directed by the man with the best name in action films.
A young boy, Pi, finds himself adrift in a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a Bengal tiger following a shipwreck.
Reason to watch: I’m a big fan of Ang Lee who has a strong record with adaptations (Sense and Sensibility, Brokeback Mountain) and Life of Pi is based on the highly acclaimed novel of the same name. It’s bound to look good, the story will be strong – much will rest on the performance of newcomer Suraj Sharma as Pi.
Release date: 21 December
Obviously all dates are subject to change…I’ll try and put trailers in as and when they are released. And I’m sure I’ve left off something good…
Starring Colin Farrell, Keira Knightly and Ray Winstone
Just out of prison Mitchel, played by Colin Farrell, is trying to get his life sorted and finds himself a new job protecting a film star, played by Keira Knightley. However past friends try to sort him out some other jobs which puts him in direct contact with a notorious London gangster, played by Ray Winstone. Can Mitchel keep away from the wrong side of the law?
This definitely has a feel of a Guy Ritchie film like Lock Stock and Layer Cake. The London settings, the stylish London streets and the cast is full of English film and TV actors. Even the music throughout the film is supplied by British bands like Kasabian. The film, being a British drama about gangsters, is full of some extreme swearing with the C word being used in every other sentence.
There is a story to follow through the film with Mitchel struggling to live the two lives that he is currently living. As a whole there wasn’t much to the film apart from a couple of funny lines. The three leads seem to play the same characters in every film they are in none more so than Ray Winstone.
Would I recommend this film? Probably not. If you never get to see it you won’t be missing out on much.
Film Fact
The colourful pictures of Keira Knightley’s character that haunt Colin Farrell’s Mitchel throughout the film were designed and made by David Bailey.
thefriedgold 