The idea for the film seemed to be a great one, a comedic flip on an old over-told story.
Unfortunately it seemed to fail at this, and fall flat on it's back, where others have succeeded i.e. Wicked.
There were ample opportunities to do something different, instead this film churned out the same old rubbish, forcing it down children's necks.
I will refuse to even discuss the terribly bad lip-sinked Bollywood style song ending. A unnecessary cop-out ending.
When compared to other great children's films that are out in the same year, this one falls to the bottom of the pack. The film definitely underestimates children's intelligence. It has been dumbed down to entertain very small children, but looses everyone else. Children can handle more than people give them credit for.
The jokes within the film are fine if not a little sparse. The queen turning her subject into a cockroach, spreading bird feces on her face as a beauty treatment, using bees for botox, one liners from the dwarfs, people stealing the princes clothes, "puppy love" etc. are all fine examples of childish jokes, but this film is for children so what's the problem? Unfortunately though, this is a little forced and all the other comedy falls to the side, the slap-stick comedy is not presented to the audience, it is just happening and often falls into the background.
The entire film only brings one interesting idea to the table, puppet monsters/bad guys which are only on screen for one scene, about 5 minutes.
My main quibble with this film is the scripting, which I found very jarring (though I do feel this was because of poor writing rather than acting). They have obviously asked the actors to pretend they are British, but this is impossible when they are scripted American English, you can't expect Snow white to discuss not having any pants (trousers) when British people do not use this word in this context, a very obvious thing to do. Whats wrong with just having American dialect in an American accent? It also reverses, with very American Dwarfs talking about going to the "Pub". It is either all or nothing, you can't have both American and English, it does not work.
The concept of each character is excellent, but just don't work in practice. Dwarfs with super skills and crazy tools, i.e. extendable legs sounds amazing. A ridiculous and stupid Prince, could lead to a great story. The point of view of the story being lead from the evil Queen also great. Unfortunately these points were let down by terrible directing.
Over all, it is a fine movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon, it is something you do not have to have any brain at all to watch and are planning on snoozing too anyway, but you may have to have a good attention span not to get bored of it.
See this movie once, if you or your kids like it fine, otherwise stick to the hundred and one better films for kids.
Enchanted or Stardust do this kind of film so much better.
Unfortunately it seemed to fail at this, and fall flat on it's back, where others have succeeded i.e. Wicked.
There were ample opportunities to do something different, instead this film churned out the same old rubbish, forcing it down children's necks.
I will refuse to even discuss the terribly bad lip-sinked Bollywood style song ending. A unnecessary cop-out ending.
When compared to other great children's films that are out in the same year, this one falls to the bottom of the pack. The film definitely underestimates children's intelligence. It has been dumbed down to entertain very small children, but looses everyone else. Children can handle more than people give them credit for.
The jokes within the film are fine if not a little sparse. The queen turning her subject into a cockroach, spreading bird feces on her face as a beauty treatment, using bees for botox, one liners from the dwarfs, people stealing the princes clothes, "puppy love" etc. are all fine examples of childish jokes, but this film is for children so what's the problem? Unfortunately though, this is a little forced and all the other comedy falls to the side, the slap-stick comedy is not presented to the audience, it is just happening and often falls into the background.
The entire film only brings one interesting idea to the table, puppet monsters/bad guys which are only on screen for one scene, about 5 minutes.
My main quibble with this film is the scripting, which I found very jarring (though I do feel this was because of poor writing rather than acting). They have obviously asked the actors to pretend they are British, but this is impossible when they are scripted American English, you can't expect Snow white to discuss not having any pants (trousers) when British people do not use this word in this context, a very obvious thing to do. Whats wrong with just having American dialect in an American accent? It also reverses, with very American Dwarfs talking about going to the "Pub". It is either all or nothing, you can't have both American and English, it does not work.
The concept of each character is excellent, but just don't work in practice. Dwarfs with super skills and crazy tools, i.e. extendable legs sounds amazing. A ridiculous and stupid Prince, could lead to a great story. The point of view of the story being lead from the evil Queen also great. Unfortunately these points were let down by terrible directing.
Over all, it is a fine movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon, it is something you do not have to have any brain at all to watch and are planning on snoozing too anyway, but you may have to have a good attention span not to get bored of it.
See this movie once, if you or your kids like it fine, otherwise stick to the hundred and one better films for kids.
Enchanted or Stardust do this kind of film so much better.