Tarsem (Immortals, The Fall) is literally a visionary director, littering the screen with vibrancy enough to choke an art gallery. His use of exotic costumes against wondrously colorful backdrops is a given in his films, and for Mirror Mirror, he does not disappoint in that department. Lavish, bright, eye-arresting, all words that are fit to describe the film's visuals, costumes and fantastical sets. Sadly for this Mirror, there is more to enjoying a film than just feeding your eyes while depriving your brain.
We're all familiar with the tale of Snow White, and her Evil Queen of a stepmother (played masterfully with a wink and a nod here by Oscar winner Julia Roberts). There is insecurity, beauty that the aforementioned magical mirror, and of course, seven dwarfs. Sadly for this latest installment, you aren't offered much in the way of fresh storytelling here. There are roughly 45 seconds of screen time devoted to standing up for diminutive folk, reminding the audience it's never good to judge people based on their looks, as well as a modest attempt to make our heroine a modern day She-Ra, and, nay, your typical damsel. Sadly, in the end, she still requires the typical rescuing.
If there were one surprise in the picture, it would be a minor, yet ultimately satisfying Game of Thrones cameo, introducing one new facet of the story I hadn't come across before. Long live Ned Stark.
Game of Thrones, this is not. Mirror Mirror comes off as professional actors putting on a show before you, all the while, reminding the audience that they are putting on a show for you. If enjoyable, it fails to come off as genuine. Roberts, for her part, hams up the screen at every opportunity, so much so that I felt like she was demanding to have an apple (perhaps of the poisoned variety?) shoved into her mouth, and a good basting in pineapple. Lily Collins is in fact, enchanting as Snow White, which you really have to be to pull her off. Luckily for the filmmakers, they did cast a Caucasian here, which is helpful when avoiding a race war (I'm looking at you Hunger Games fans). She is mostly adorable, momentarily sexy, and likely the only character here worth believing in. Armie Hammer (The Social Network) is never quite certain who his prince wants to be (not counting the moments where he is spelled to think he's a dog). Heroic? Maybe. Ridiculously brain-dead? Perhaps. A waste? Totally. Nathan Lane serves as The Queen's right hand, and is quick to pull off an understated, humorous performance and is a good foil for Roberts.
Mirror Mirror is a beautiful treat for your eyes, which offers a few laughs, and some modest re-telling of a weathered tale. It will not light your world on fire, but if you are looking for a predictable reflection, this might be a mirror worth gazing into. Otherwise, allow me to recommend Walt Disney's classic version, which seems to never age, or keep your eye on Twilight's Kristen Stewart in this summer's Snow White and the Huntsman (now including more Thor!).
In the hand of Hollywood you'll notice a rather large bag of tricks used to spin old stories new again. We've seen it a hundred times before: Contemporary filmmakers and artists slap a new coat of paint on an old fairy tale. The results are sometimes refreshing but often no more than a waste of time.
Which brings us to Tarsem Singh's Mirror Mirror. This year's second of three retellings of the Brothers Grimm's unforgettable Snow White fairy tale (Grimm's Snow White this past February, and June's Snow White and the Huntsman rounding out the year of White) is a cute, self-indulgent experience, which likely falls into the latter category.
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