Ryan McNeil
One has to wonder about the rising quotient of faery tales in popular culture. We’ve already been given graphic novels that drop the characters into modern times, and likewise a television series that gives many of the same characters a dose of amnesia and sends them to small town America. Why are we suddenly so fascinated by stories that were amongst the very first ones we ever hear. Is it because they are somehow suddenly relevant again? Or is it because there are storytellers that want to take these classic tales and update them with more modern values, so that a new generation of kids can grow up wanting to be the rescuer, and less the rescuee?
Pretty sure everybody is familiar with the tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, so I won’t waste too many words on plot. Lily Collins plays Snow, Julia Roberts her wicked stepmother. Nathan Lane is Brighton, the Queen’s hapless pee-on, and Armie Hammer is Prince Charming…err, Prince Andrew Alcott (who happens to be charming). One slight difference in this iteration of the story is that the prince arrives on the scene early on, and while he’s smitten with Snow, The Queen is smitten with him and is hoping to take advantage of his affluence to cover the costs of her swank lifestyle.
There were a lot of things to be worried about going into MIRROR MIRROR, but the one detail I knew I would be delighted by was its visual splendour. Director Tarsem has a knack for lavish films, and even when I haven’t like his movies as a whole, I have at least been able to distract myself with eye candy. Predictably, the visuals in MIRROR MIRROR step in time with every other thing Tarsem has filmed, with costumes lavish enough to make Baz Luhrman blush, and set pieces that truly are worthy of a fairy tale come alive. This director understands that when it comes to tales of “happily ever after”, that an audience isn’t looking for a tale rooted in reality – they want to be reminded of the places their imaginations used to take them when their parents read to them at bedtime.
The look of MIRROR MIRROR was what got me in the door willingly: what got me out the door with joy was far more unexpected. The story of MIRROR MIRROR includes taking the well-known structure of a damsel in distress and knocking it on its ass. This Snow White has no interest in waiting for her prince to come; she is concerned for the plight of her subjects, believing that their well-being is far more important than her own luxury. This version of Snow White isn’t just out to play den mother to seven dwarves; she wants them to teach her how to disguise, defend, and deceive. And most importantly, this version of Snow White doesn’t sit back and wait to be rescued like a damsel in distress. Refreshingly, she’s the one ready to take up the sword and save others from certain doom.
In discovering this wonderful balance of lavishness and empowerment, MIRROR MIRROR over-delivers on expectation. It takes a classically beautiful actress and gives her just enough sand to make her taking up a sword against a prince two times her size plausible. It’s able to infuse the story with the right amount of joy, and avoid slapsticky pratfalls. It makes its villain a little less crazy – making her a woman less interested in keeping a kingdom under her thumb than on being able to maintain her lavish lifestyle. Actually, that might be the bit where the film goes wrong.
What’s easily the biggest hindrance of MIRROR MIRROR is the casting of Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen Clementianna. The Queen is a well-written character, and on the page her traits of selfishness, overindulgence, and malice are apparent. However, because of the persona Roberts has crafted for herself through the years, she can’t deliver the goods with the cold-bloodedness required. Remind yourself that this is a woman who we are supposed to believe wants to kill a teenaged girl: Now ask yourself if you believe Erin Brockovich has that sort of venom. It’s an excusable misstep, particularly because in The Queen’s most crucial moments there are so many other bits of eye candy to distract from Roberts’ short-sell.
The miscasting of Roberts, and a few other moments of well-intentioned goofiness aren’t enough to sink MIRROR MIRROR. It’s a worthy successor to tales like THE PRINCESS BRIDE and EVER AFTER that put a knowing spin on a classic tale. What’s encouraging, is that despite it being a tale as old as time, the way it empowers Snow – and likewise will empower young girls who watch it – feels timely. Snow takes her place in between Katniss Everdeen and Lisbeth Salander as a role model who is strong and decisive…qualities that might have been part of the faery tale all along, but needed to be brought to the forefront for a new generation.
Welcome to the Mirror Club
Nice to be here. The combined praise for this movie from you, Kurt, and Lindsay was what prompted me to give it a go.
I agree with you about Julia Roberts, she was a serious miscast, but I’m still bitter about her Ocean’s Twelve debacle, where she capitalized on her character’s resemblance to herself. I know it’s not her fault, but I just can’t watch her anymore.
Odd you mention O12 since it was on Spike TV repeatedly this weekend. I was more on board with that whole tangent than I was with her trying to be “wicked” because it allowed everyone involved with the scenes to have a bit of fun (especially when Bruce Willis shows up).
I would have hoped that by now she’d be able to play something more than just “Julia Roberts”, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
I liked it quite a bit. Review coming next week. I disagree with Roberts being miscast – I kept looking for it, but just didn’t see it. I think that silly device of the mirror talking back to her was a mistake, and being the puppet master/magic thing. That didn’t work and contributed to Roberts’ difficulty overall. As the self-centered narcissist who would resort to murder to get what she wanted I thought she was great.
Funny that the disagreement grows…I actually quite liked the flawless-faced-Julia as the mirror (not to mention that glorious set of the huts in the middle of the sea), and was loved the imagination that went into the puppets.
Riddle me this – what about if Catherine Zeta-Jones played the queen?
I usually enjoy Tarsem’s work but for some reason I just wasn’t interested in it. I think my biggest beef is Julia Roberts as the evil queen and you confirmed my dread. Still I might rent this when it’s available. Btw, sounds like you have seen Ever After. Did you like it? I like Drew in it though in hindsight I think she’s horribly miscast.
Apologies – you saw MIRROR MIRROR and weren’t fussed, or skipped it and read this post?