By Jon Donnis
The Death of Snow White takes the fairytale most people grew up with and shoves it headfirst into a pit of blood, occult rituals and feverish invention. Director Jason Brooks wastes no time tearing apart the clean, polished version and replacing it with something far darker. The opening alone sets the stage, with Chelsea Edmundson’s Queen slicing her own palm in the middle of a spell. From that moment, you know exactly what you have signed up for. It is dramatic, unashamedly violent, and makes no attempt to hide what it wants to be.
The forest setting is more than just a backdrop. It feels alive, a twisted labyrinth filled with shadows and strange predators. When Snow White, played with unexpected grit by Sanae Loutsis, finds herself in its depths, the whole energy of the film shifts. The dwarves here are not harmless miners or comic foils. They are cold blooded killers, each with such exaggerated traits that they almost tip into parody, yet somehow the tone makes it work. Watching Snow White slowly adjust to their brutal world is oddly rewarding. Brooks clearly wanted her journey from hunted girl to fierce avenger to feel real, and it does.
Chelsea Edmundson’s performance as the Queen is the beating heart of the film. This is not the usual vain and spiteful monarch. She is something much more dangerous, a woman who has already burned through every limit and is now exploring what lies beyond. The production design of her castle is both grim and captivating, and the magic rituals have a physicality that makes them memorable. The limited budget shows when the computer effects appear, but rather than detract from the experience, it fits the rough edged B movie personality of the piece.
The final act pulls no punches. The apple is not a delicate weapon of deception here, it is the trigger for a violent curse. What follows is a relentless battle where no one is safe, and characters you have grown to like are cut down without warning. The practical gore effects manage to be both stomach churning and inventive. Snow White’s ultimate fight with the Queen is raw and savage, ending with a moment involving Tiny’s axe that delivers the sort of bloody satisfaction fans of this style of horror will appreciate.
It is not perfect. The middle section loses momentum for a short stretch, and a few smaller roles are not as strong as the leads. Yet as a twisted, unrestrained reworking of the Snow White story, it is a triumph of gleeful excess. It may not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy their fairytales soaked in blood and chaos, this is one of the most entertaining takes in a long while. I left the film grinning, which is probably not the most comforting thing to admit.
Out Now
Apple TV - https://apple.co/3Hun5cP
