Snow White and the Huntsman

What you take away from this dark film, filled with several twisted characters and twisty turns, is a great deal of nicely-crafted atmosphere, and a terrific performance from Charlize Theron as the evil stepmother.

Rupert Sanders' vision of enchantment is a Thomas Kinkade painting brought to life.

Not a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, Snow White and the Huntsman can boast truly magnificent performances--minus Stewart, of course--an interesting take on a beloved tale, and gorgeous scenes. Too bad about some of that plot though.

Theron gives the picture some spine. As Snow White, Kristen Stewart supplies the heart.

Strong effects, good design, and an exciting use of nature help to empower Stewart and Theron, who inject a rich, double dose of feminism.

Stewart's Snow White, meanwhile, pouts her lips, bats her bedroom eyes, and scarcely seems to have more on her mind than who might take her to the senior prom

This is a gorgeous production, but it’s also a romantically dormant one whose characters and their fixed motivations never make a connection.

In the end, Snow White and the Huntsman proves that style can never triumph over material.

For a movie that so desperately wishes to be Tolkienesque, it's a questionable choice to burden it with both the Snow White moniker and Kristen Stewart.

For a creaky old fairy tale considered by many to be past its bedtime story prime, this Snow White turns out to be much, much better than expected.