The Huntsman: Winter’s War Gets A Chilly Reception

This week at the movies, we’ve got just one wide release: the fantasy prequel/sequel The Huntsman: Winter’s War, starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, and Emily Blunt. What do the critics have to say?

The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016)

20%

Snow White and the Huntsman might not have set the world on fire, but it was a decent fantasy adventure with some sharp visuals and a feminist edge. Still, audiences weren’t necessarily clamoring for a sequel, much less this prequel/sequel, which critics say squanders its all-star cast on a plot that’s alternately predictable and incoherent. This time out, heartbroken Ice Queen Freya (Emily Blunt) exiles herself to a mountain, where she abolishes love and recruits an army of child soldiers. After her sister Ravenna (Charlize Theron) is defeated by Snow White, Freya searches for the magic mirror to resurrect her, while two of her former soldiers team up to stop her. The pundits say Huntsman sometimes feels like a grim retelling of Frozen, though at least a few action set pieces are reasonably stirring.

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