The story of Mirror Mirror is the typical Snow White story, with Lily Collins as Snow White, and Julia Roberts as the queen.
There are other name actors in the film such as Nathan Lane, Danny Woodburn, and a cameo from Sean Bean, but in minor roles.
While the writing and cinematography were decent, the biggest drawback was Julia Robert’s performance. I don’t know if it’s because of her acting style, the directing or the writing, but she does not come across as the evil queen. Instead, she’s more of the “overly petty” queen instead of an embodiment of evil they try to make her out to be.
The biggest problem I saw with the writing is that it couldn’t decide whether or not it was trying to be serious or satirize the fairy tale. It’s not as bad with many of the other characters, but this is the most apparent with all of Julia Robert’s scenes.
The best way to describe the art style of the film is to label it an antithesis to the works of Tim Burton. The costumes and sets really evoke a fairy-tale world, and plays around with contrasted colors in its own way.
There’s one scene of the film that caught me by surprise. The best way to describe the scene is an American take on the “Bollywood” ending. Instead of the Hindi music, we get a U.S. styled pop song sung by Lily Collins with more American choreography. It’s an entertaining add-on that will probably find its way into more films.
Mirror Mirror is the first in a line of movies in which studios attempt to create a more “mature” take on Snow White. At least, that’s what people initially thought when it was first announced, especially with filmmaker Tarsem Singh, known for his films The Cell and Immortals, attached to direct.
Its biggest competitor is the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman, but will Mirror Mirror‘s earlier release be the way to beat the competition? This answer isn’t a clear cut one.
Overall, this film is okay, but it has some glaring issues with its story and characters. Wait for it come to the dollar theaters or rent it from a rental service. On my personal scale, I give Mirror Mirror a 3.5/5.
