Charming fantasy in Mirror Mirror

There's a world of difference between what's cute, cuddly and cheesy, and a film that has the charm of 1000 fairy tales, combining the magic realism of its vibrantly constructed imaginary fantasy world and the reality it reflects of the world today, where glamorous television shows like Top Billing celebrate the lifestyles and opulence of the rich and famous.

One of the most beloved stories of all time comes to life in the spectacular motion picture event Mirror Mirror, starring Lily Collins (The Blind Side) as Snow White and Oscar-winner Julia Roberts as the evil Queen.

Fresh-and-funny retelling

A fresh-and-funny retelling of the classic fairy tale, the film also stars Armie Hammer (The Social Network) as the Prince, Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) as the King, and Nathan Lane (The Birdcage) as the Queen's hapless and bungling servant, Brighton.

After a beloved King vanishes, his ruthless wife seizes control of the kingdom and keeps her beautiful 18-year-old stepdaughter, Snow White, hidden away in the palace. But when the Princess attracts the attention of a charming and wealthy visiting Prince, the jealous Queen banishes the girl to a nearby forest.

Taken in by a band of rebellious but kind-hearted dwarfs, Snow White blossoms into a brave young woman determined to save her country from the Queen.

The overall enjoyment and splendour of Mirror Mirror is the result of director Tarsem Singh, who is known for his attention to detail, stunning art direction and highly developed visual storytelling abilities. He is one of the most highly acclaimed and sought-after directors within the worldwide advertising community and one whose spectacular epic action film Immortals grossed more than USD215 million worldwide.

The potent potion of magic realism

Singh understands the potent potion of magic realism; educated at a Himalayan boarding school in Shimla, India and graduating from Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, he is an extreme visualist whose elaborate and sometimes over-the-top embellishment results in rewarding viewing and first-rate entertainment.

Singh gloriously brings Marc Klein's screenplay to life (which he co-wrote with Jason Keller, based on a story by Melisa Wallack); Klein is a romantic idealist, and as with his previous screenplays for Serendipity and A Good Year, he is empathetic towards romance and indulges in its passion and its untamed temperament. Keller, who also wrote the screenplay for Machine Gun Preacher, knows how to deal with the human condition and infuses the fairytale with humanity.

Singh is also blessed with a heavenly cast. Julia Roberts is truly in her element and magnificent in her larger-than-life performance as Evil reincarnated, and is equally mesmerising as her alter ego, whose playful wickedness is delightful.

Roberts is also very funny as the older woman who is seduced by the beauty and innocence of the young prince who stands half naked before her throne.

Armie Hammer makes a great Prince and will definitely garner a lot of new fans after Mirror Mirror. Equally beguiling is Lily Collins as Snow White, who is not only a picture of fairy-tale innocence, but an equally daredevil action hero when pushed to the limits.

Brilliant delivery and comic timing

Nathan Lane once again proves that he is one of the top comedians of our time; his delivery and comic timing is brilliant. When he is transformed into a cockroach by the Evil Queen and then recalls the horror, only Lane can deliver a line like: "A grasshopper took advantage of me in a very unnatural way!"

Then there are the adorable seven dwarfs, unlike anything you could have ever imagined.

For his reinterpretation of the iconic dwarfs, Singh found seven extraordinary actors. Rather than rely on the familiar band of animated figures for inspiration, the filmmakers allowed each of the actors to define an original character; the characters were developed around their personalities and each of them contribute something special in terms of helping Snow White to grow into the woman she must become.

Butcher, Grimm, Half-Pint, Napoleon, Wolf, Chuckles, and Grub are brilliantly brought to life by Martin Klebba, Danny Woodburn, Mark Povinelli, Jordan Prentice, Sebastian Saraceno, Ronald Lee Clark and Joe Gnoffo, respectively.

If you want to escape into a world that is spectacular beyond belief, hilarious and a total fun ride from start to finish, allow the magic of Mirror Mirror to cast its spell of happiness.

Rating 5/5

Behind the scenes

It will come as no surprise to anyone who has seen director Tarsem Singh's earlier work that Mirror Mirror is an extraordinary visual feast. Built on massive sound stages in Montreal, the settings include a haunting snowbound forest, a rustic and richly detailed cabin inside a hollow tree, a gloriously over-the-top Great Hall for the Queen's elaborate and expensive fetes, and a seemingly infinite palace bedroom in which to hatch her nefarious schemes. Complementing the fantastical locations are the film's sumptuous costumes, hair and make-up, which leapfrog from century to century, incorporating both authentic historical detail and complete fantasy.

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