Well, that changed my mind significantly.
My wariness of and distaste toward the upcoming fantasy epic, Snow White and the Huntsman, isn’t exactly a well-kept secret. As with most properties, I’m put off at the idea that something as innocent as a children’s fairy tale needs to be doused in a grim and gritty sheen to be made more adult, and then sold to a mass audience using one of my least favorite leading ladies of the day. And yet here I am, more or less impressed and turned around on Rupert Sanders’ June blockbuster.
Largely, my turnabout stems from the look of the film. If the trailer’s any indication, we’re looking at a film that’s genuinely moody, tone-driven, and atmospheric, and not a product that simply takes the elements of the original story and darkens them with a broad brush for shock value. That’s something I can get behind. Of course, my original concerns might not be unfounded– I have to see the movie for myself to tell– but if they aren’t, then whoever cut this trailer did a really good job of making the film’s gothic and somber appearance seem organic while also making it clear that the bulk of the studio projected budget (a paltry $70 million) has been sunk into making the movie look really, really great. Can’t really deny that bit; the CGI effects creatures, particularly that large monster we’ve only seen in silhouette previously, look really well-rendered.
Plus, we’re finally given a reasonable introduction to both Hemsworth’s titular Huntsman and the Dwarves themselves. I understand wanting to bank on Kristen Stewart’s recognizable stardom, even if I don’t find her all that compelling as an actress, and there’s nothing wrong with capitalizing on the presence of Charlize Theron. But with the film’s source material and title comes an expectation that we get to meet both the seven Dwarves and Hemsworth himself well in advance of the film’s release. In short, it’s about time.
So what about the rest of you? Is this trailer convincing you that it might be worth your while to check out Snow White and the Huntsman when it hits theaters? Or are you still going to dodge it and wait for DVD?
A Constant Visual Feast 
I was already on board when the teaser came out months ago but yea, this is a ridiculously awesome trailer that has sealed the deal for me. Either way, it will look visually amazing and heck, as long as K-Stew doesn’t do anything too cringe-worthy (fingers crossed), we should be in for an awesome movie.
There are things about the production that have had me more interested in this movie than its rival (which you couldn’t get me to see if you paid me), but it’s nice to have all of your expectations for a movie revised by a really well-cut trailer. I hope that it’s more than that, but if nothing else they have me sold now.
I wonder if Stewart will either find her feet as an actress here or if she’ll be carried by her excellent supporting cast. Either way, so long as she’s not in full Bella mode, I can’t really see her sinking the whole picture.
This is really the first bit of promotional material I’ve seen for the film. So far, it doesn’t look too bad. Might be worth checking out.
I can understand your reluctance towards making things grim-dark; I’m generally in that camp myself. Though I’m OK with it in the case of Snow White, since it always was one of the grimmer Grimms, so to speak.
I think there’s something insidious about the urge to take properties and make them “grim ‘n gritty”; doing so suggests that the only way to take these childhood stories and make them “grown up” is to inject them with violence, which is why I had such a strongly negative reaction to, say, the fan-made Voltron trailer from last year.
In the case of SWATH, though, I think it may work so long as the film re-imagines the original story in the right ways. Regardless, it looks nice, and I do like most of the cast– the Dwarves in particular– so I’m now on-board.