By “Cinema” Dave
http://cinemadave.livejournal.com
As I prepared for my screening of The Huntsman: Winter’s War, I had to compliment Carmike Cinema’s management [Broward 18 in Pompano] for their bustling box office and concession sales. Over the concession bar were two television screens dedicated to sports channels, so I was able to keep track of the Heat, Panthers and Marlins. Cinemas are becoming more timely and intimate. This concept really hit home when the manager informed me that he was redoing the weekend schedule to insert special screenings of Purple Rain, starring the late singer Prince [like many other national theaters].
Modern technology has made mass entertainment more impulsive. While tonight is supposed to present the final screenings of Purple Rain, if box office is good, one can predict this film being held over until Captain America: Civil War opens next week (May 6).
While The Jungle Book dominated the latest box office figures, the much maligned The Huntsman: Winter’s War opened with a respectable box office sum of $20 million. A prequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, which starred Kristen Stewart as Snow White, this new film focuses on the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and the supposedly dead evil queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron).
It has been a Leap Year since Snow White and the Huntsman was last seen on the big screen. In that time, television shows like Grimm and Once Upon a Time have provided much reinterpretation of the ancient fairy tales. Given the cultural and financial success of Disney’s version of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen”, (Frozen), it was only a matter of time before Freya (Emily Blunt) replaced the mythology of Snow White.
We learn that Freya and Ravenna were sisters. With her nasty disposition concealed by her two-faced charm, Ravenna manages to cook Freya’s child.
Heartbroken, Freya goes north, freezes her heart and wages war on all mankind.
As Freya assembles her military and develops her military academy for orphans, we meet the Young Huntsman, who is infatuated with a red-headed archer named Sara (who grows up to look like Jessica Chastain). The Huntsman and Sara share swashbuckling adventures together and eventually get caught in the snare of the evil queens. Will anyone live to be happily ever after?
Based on the poor rating on RottenTomatoes.com, The Huntsman: Winter’s War is likely to be nominated for multiple Razzy Awards. However, there is a sense of fun about this movie and the actors appear to be having a good time swashbuckling. While this film is too dark to take impressionable children to, the crowd really warmed up to the action sequence in which the Huntsman, Sara and some dwarfs steal the magic mirror from a Minotaur guardian. The Huntsman: Winter’s War will be a bigger hit on DVD.
