Director Tarsem Singh is known for his elaborate sets and oftentimes stylized cinematography. Coming off of last year’s godly epic Immortals, Singh has changed directions with a retelling of the Snow White fairy tale in Mirror Mirror. Can he put a new spin on the classic children’s story or is his direction a poison apple to the beloved franchise?

The story of Mirror Mirror remains fairly similar to the fairy tale we all grew up with, with a few differences too of course. Princess Snow White (Lily Collins) has been living with her evil step mother (Julia Roberts) ever since her father died. Under the rule of the wicked queen, the kingdom is in despair.  Things begin to change with the arrival of Prince Alcott (Armie Hammer) from a neighboring kingdom. While he and Snow White instantly form a connection, it’s the jealous queen who will do anything she can, even going as far as using dangerous magic, to get what she wants. 

Set in the fantastical land first created by the Brothers Grimm, Mirror Mirror presents a fairy tale that is familiar yet still fresh. The elaborate costumes and environments all contribute to the magical nature of the film. The script? Not so much.

The dialogue strives too hard to be humorous and ends up falling flat much of the time. The chemistry between Collins and Roberts just isn’t there which leads to some awkward situations. Hammer does a suitable performance as the dashing prince, though. Where the film truly shines is with the seven dwarves.

Happy, Sleepy, Grumpy, Dopey, Bashful, Sneezy, and Doc have been replaced by Half-Pint, Grimm, Napoleon, Chuckles, Wolf, Butcher, and Grub. Each of them is just as unique as the original dwarves and together they keep the story moving with witty banter among themselves and their love of Snow White. The majority of laughs will come from the dwarves and their slapstick humor.

Mirror Mirror attempts to revitalize the Snow White tale and only manages to come close to hitting its mark. The dwarves make the biggest lasting impression of the film, although the story feels stuck somewhere in between the classic Snow White we know and the unfamiliar. Mirror Mirror may not necessarily be the fairest of them all, but it isn’t the poison apple that kills our beloved princess either so go ahead and tale a bite.

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