THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR

US, 2016, 114 minutes, Colour.
Chris Hemsworth, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chasstain, Charlize Theron, Nick Frost, Rob Bryden, Sheridan Smith, Alexandra Roach, Sam Claffin.
Directed by Cedric Nicolas- Troyan.

In 2012 there was a Snow White story, Snow White and the Huntsman, a variation on the popular fairytale, which focused strongly on the wicked Queen and her interrogation of the mirror about who was the fairest in the land. The Queen was played with haughty beauty and arrogance by Charlize Theron. The film used some of the basics of the familiar fairytale but introduced the character of the Huntsman who was the champion of Snow White.

He was played by Chris Hemsworth had made an impression as Thor – and continued to make an impression as Thor in the sequel and in The Avengers films. Now he has been invited back to reprise his character of Eric, the Huntsman.

This film, in its early sequences is a prequel to Snow White and the Huntsman. There is a seven-year gap where audiences can fill in what they remember from the first film and the narrative then takes up as a sequel.

Once again there is Ravenna, the wicked Queen, shown instantly playing chess with the King and murdering him, assuming the throne, the younger sister, Freya (Emily Blunt) in attendance. And the mirror is once again reassuring. However, wicked queens will be wicked queens and Ravenna makes severe mischief for her sister, killing her child and banishing all love, Freya becoming an emotionless ice Queen in the northern kingdom in snnowclad mountains. Her henchman abduct children and bring them to the castle where they spend their time training in combat.

Two of the children stand out in martial arts, young Eric and young Sara. They are rivals but, in adulthood, Eric and Sara defy Freya and fall in love, trying to escape but are made to fight their fellow combatants until Freya builds an ice wall between them and deceives them as to what happens. Eric is Chris Hemsworth who becomes the Huntsman and Jessica Chastain is Sara.

And Ravenna has disappeared from the film – but fans of Charlize Theron need to remain patient.

A caption tells us that seven years pass – the time when Eric helped Snow White, but a message comes to him in the forest that the mirror has been stolen and Eric is persuaded to go on a mission to recover it, suddenly accompanied by two dwarves, played by Nick Frost and Rob Bryden, providing a lot of chatty patter and comedy. After denouncing female dwarves, two of them turn up, played by Sheridan Smith and Alexandra Roach, and they accompany the mission for the mirror. Eric has been put upon by Freya’s henchman – but who should such suddenly turn up but Sara!

There are some adventures, a fight with a monstrous giant, Sara showing her ability with archery accuracy, but Freya arriving and preparations for combat for the grand finale.

The writers are in the vein of Game of Thrones – but with touches of Tolkein (or touches of Peter Jackson) and more than a touch of Frozen.

While Jessica Chastain speaks her Scots accent very clearly, It is a pity that Chris Hemsworth, with his deep voice, is difficult to understand with what he calls his Celtic accent.

Familiar material, popularly enjoyable but not memorable.

1. The popularity of the original film, characters? Adaptation of a fairytale? Imagination?

2. This film as both prequel and sequel?

3. The director, commenting on fairytales, characters, interactions, endings?

4. The medieval settings, castles, architecture? The north, the castle of ice, in the mountains, snow and ice, the forests, the magic woods? The musical score?

5. The range of action, special effects? The mirror, the Queen, the ice and the capacity for freezing? The combat training for the children? Fights, the confrontation of a monster, phrases henchman? The end, the final combat, the weapons?

6. Ravenna, the mirror, memories of her being the evil queen in the first film? Playing chess with the King, outwitting him, killing him? Becoming Queen? Her relationship with her sister, saying that she knew everything? Freya’s pregnancy? The birth of the child, Ravenna destroying the child, transforming Freya into a Queen of hate?

7. Freya, younger sister, in love, the pregnancy, the birth of the child, sitting with the baby, the destruction of the baby, her lover’s regrets, her heart growing cold, the influence of Ravenna?

8. Her travelling to the north, transforming, her hair, her eyes? Alone, the castle, kidnapping the children, the forbidding any emotions, her confrontation of the black boy, the training and her supervision, preparing them for combat?

9. Eric and Sara, kidnapped, as children, their skills, the rivalry, attraction, the kiss, defying Freya’s edicts? The plans, the escape, Freya knowing this?

10. Her forcing them to combat, their defeat of their fellow warriors? Freya and her creating the ice wall? Eric seeing Sara die? Sara seeing Eric running away? His being thrown inyo the river and floating away?

11. The seven years passing, Snow White as Queen, the audience filling in the background of the Huntsman and his work for her? The messenger coming, the mission to retrieve the mirror?

12. The appearance of the dwarves, the characters, patter, comedy, going along with Eric, wanting a reward?

13. At the Inn, Freya’s warriors and their attack, Eric defeated, Sara intervening? Her saying she was deceived, their love, difficulties in trust?

14. The dwarves, caught up in the net, the two female dwarves and their banter, decision to guide the group, warning about the goblins, finding the jewels?

15. The forest, the bridge, the mirror, the ogre, Eric fighting, cutting the bridge, Sara and her arrow, saving Eric?

16. Carrying the mirror, being captured by Freya, her freezing the two dwarves? Sara firing the arrow, aiming at her mother’s medal, withdrawing the arrow and Eric alive?

17. Freya, the court, asking the mirror? The reappearance of Ravenna, her appearance, beauty, power? The status between worlds? The build-up to the confrontation, the two sisters, Eric and the clash, the truth about the murder of Freya’s baby? Ravenna and the confrontation with Eric, his throwing his axe into the mirror? Her being vanquished?

18. Freya, dying, expressing her regrets, encouraging Eric and Sara?

19. Fairytale, the happy ending – but still a mystery of the mirror?