A Montage of Familiar Images

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN is not a fantasy, it is a deconstruction of and commentary on Medieval High Fantasy and contains layered referents from fiction and history, including Norse, Celtic, and Arabic myth, Elizabeth Bathory, Joan of Arc, Tolkien, Narnia, Monty Python, the Brothers Grimm, Harry Potter, and probably any other source of imagery one can think of. No emotional resonance but oh what a beautiful movie.  Charlize Theron is the best Morrigan ever put on screen.  Thor scruffs up great.  Everything is well imagined and presented. It is also slick and ironic, a comedy for those who spot it, a fairy tale told in the gritty style for others. Straight-faced, deadpan meta-movie. No wonder no one knows what to make of it.