The first of two live-action “Snow White” adventures to be released this year is an imaginative, slightly wicked little comedy that retells the tale with an adroit sense of humor.  Because megastar Julia Roberts is cast as the evil Queen, the emphasis of the story is tilted in her favor, however, and that unbalances the story, since much happens away from her, and those occurrences seem somehow diminished when compared to the story sections about her.  Ultimately, I would gauge Tarsem Singh’s film as imaginative and enjoyable, but not quite good.

What works is the visual chasm between the haves (the Queen and those who live and work in the castle) and the have-nots (everybody else).  The production design and art direction involving the castle are splendid, while the village and the home of the seven dwarfs (in a tree) are appropriately mundane.  Roberts chews the scenery as the Queen and seems to be having fun.  Armie Hammer is even better as the handsome prince, attracted to Snow White (Lily Collins) but bewitched (literally) by the Queen.  Hammer plays the scenes where he is bewitched with great energy and a complete lack of inhibition; his is a truly fun performance.

Lily Collins is, I think, miscast as Snow White.  Her performance is fine, spunky and self-assured, but she just isn’t pretty enough (and her thick eyebrows are quite distracting).  No offense to Miss Collins is meant, but the story demands a Snow White so beautiful that the Queen becomes insanely jealous, and Miss Collins simply doesn’t compare to Julia Roberts’ radiance.  Note: I am sure to have the same reaction for the next Snow White film, Snow White and the Huntsman, which casts the gorgeous Charlize Theron as the Queen and rather plain Kristen Stewart as Snow White.  I think both films risk much of their potency by casting Snow White (or, conversely, the Queen) in this manner.

Singh’s film gives the dwarfs much to do, especially physically, as they don bouncy stilts so as to appear as giants in the forest.  And while these are not the dwarfs to which we have become accustomed thanks to the Disney empire, they are quite personable and distinctive here, portrayed by Jordan Prentice (Napoleon), Mark Povinelli (Half Pint), Joe Gnoffo (Grub), Danny Woodburn (Grimm), Sebastian Saraceno (Wolf), Martin Klebba (Butcher) and Ronald Lee Clark (Chuckles).  My favorite parts of the movie involved the dwarfs, their quick-witted dialogue and their evolution throughout the story.

I had not expected to like Mirror, Mirror very much and I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy viewing it.  It tries a little too hard, I think, to entertain, but at least it has a different perspective and intention than previous Snow White tales.  I give Tarsem Singh credit for his accomplishment, but I think it could have been even better with a different actress as Snow White (Blake Lively? Jennifer Lawrence?), and perhaps less emphasis on silliness.  ✰ ✰ ½.  17 April 2012.