Snow White - The Fairest of Them All

Kristin Kreuk, Miranda Richardson. An enchanting live-action rendition of the classic tale featuring dazzling special effects and a clever new twist. 2002/color/90 min/G/fullscreen.

Don't expect to plunk your 4-year-old in front of Hallmark's Snow White and have her come away whistling "Heigh Ho"--it's not that kind of movie. Substitute a kingdom of woeful and broody characters (the fairest-of-them-all contenders and their king, plus a green and warty undead guy) for Sleepy, Sneezy, and company, and the picture, a bleak one, becomes clearer. Call it Snow White noir, but don't call it dull. The actors, including Miranda Richardson and Tom Irwin, suck you into their saga of lust and greed by making despair their specialty, and the visuals crackle with a creepy gorgeousness. Writer-director Caroline Thompson sheared this Brothers Grimm adaptation into shape using the same jagged-edged prettiness she brought to the script for Edward Scissorhands; a similar audience--one that can handle a little less light in its darkness--should stick around for Snow White. -Tammy La Gorce