"Snow White and the Huntsman," for all the bravado and fanfare that seemed to promise an entirely new take on the classic tale, lacks the conviction it desperately needs to succeed. Emotion is conveyed through either screaming or silence, the story ranges from excessively harsh to unbelievably silly, and at two hours and some odd minutes, the film is simply too long. Luckily the elements of the story are so familiar to us we can spend our time trying to enjoy the details, instead of thinking too hard about the plot. And while the majority of the film is forgettable, there are some elements worth enjoying.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron is a new type of monster, this time in the form of the sorcerous Queen Ravenna, who seeks not only to be the fairest in the land, but also to rule over it with an iron fist. After swiftly dispatching the king, the queen locks first daughter Snow White (Kristen Stewart) up in a tower, where she lingers until a timely escape just before she's to be killed for being the most beautiful. A huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) is dispatched to track her down in the Dark Forest, but ultimately decides to assist in her escape and fight against the wicked queen. What ensues is a half-hearted adventure story punctuated by moments of laughable fantasy and confusing romantic overtures. Though she's meant to be a kind of warrior princess in this version, Snow White's story surprisingly doesn't deviate too far from the fairy tale original, despite the rogue armies and fanciful creatures.

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What can be said of Kristen Stewart's lifeless portrayal of the sweet heroine? While Theron steals scenes and does her best to hold the story together with sheer willpower and screaming, Stewart does very little to deserve either the title role or the title of "fairest in the land." Most Useless In The Land, perhaps. Most Vacant Stare in The Land. Instead of something truly new, we are treated to another rehashing of her meager abilities, this time with a British-ish accent that comes and goes as it pleases. Stewart's unrelenting commitment to stoicism and a facial expression that indicates she is smelling something vaguely unpleasant would be better suited to playing Joan of Arc, and at times it feels as if she's just decided she's in a different movie than everyone else. Luckily the third act is redemptive in some small ways, and we're given a bit of the warrior princess to enjoy.

Aside from Theron's over-the-top and yet still devilishly divine performance, Hemsworth fares best as the huntsman, fighting baddies and cracking wise here and there, a rough-and-tumble man's man who protects the princess and deals with his own inner demons in the process. Several other characters barely deserve a mention, although I must warn you that there are, indeed, seven dwarves and a prince of sorts. But unfortunately they arrive in such ways that actually diminish the film.

The costumes, designed by Colleen Atwood, are straight out of the 1989 Jean-Paul Gaultier playbook, all leather and gold studs. There's some incredibly beautiful moments in the cinematography, lingering shots that filter in and out of focus, and credit must go to the visual effects artists who created some of the more harrowing imagery, including the dark armies and forest elements. But unfortunately this time the mechanics of the film cannot make up for weaknesses in other areas.

"Snow White and the Huntsman" is a fine diversion for an afternoon, but clocking in at over two hours, the film will eventually lose the interest and goodwill of adult viewers and, with a generous PG-13 rating, perhaps frighten younger viewers too much.

Grade: C+