Released in 2012 at the height of the fairytale film fad, the gorgeous-looking Snow White and the Huntsman was a fairly serviceable action/adventure film starring Charlize Theron as Snow White’s evil stepmother, and Chris Hemsworth as the huntsman who saves her from the clutches of the dark forces.

Although the film was well-received by critics and raked in plenty of gold at the box office, I somehow doubt that viewers led a hunger strike outside of Universal Pictures’ offices to see a prequel/sequel to learn more about the characters. Well, they made one anyway!

Directed by the real star of the first film, Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, who had served as the visual effects supervisor, The Huntsman: Winter’s War is everything you hate about unnecessary prequels/sequels, and it stinks of Hollywood greed.

The lack of interest is also written on the faces of Charlize Theron (Ravenna, the Evil Queen) and Chris Hemsworth (Eric, the Hunstman) throughout the film, with the duo providing the sort of uninspired performances actors usually do when returning to a dull project.

The Huntsman: Winter’s War is everything you hate about prequels/sequels, and it stinks of Hollywood greed!

At the very least, the production values are good. Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael works his magic to give us a beautiful view of the white wintery landscape, while James Newton Howard returns with another grim score. Perhaps I am a sucker for the fantastical, but the film also has excellent special effects on offer, with wonderfully imaginative creatures on display, based on the work of Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

Sadly, the narrative’s poor characterisation makes it difficult to care about the war waged between Ravenna and her sibling Freya (Emily Blunt), the Ice Queen. Instead of seeking counseling, the two sisters wage an uninteresting war that starts because of Ravenna’s vanity. And unlike the first film, this vanity isn’t handled in a nuanced manner by the script or with clever social commentary either.

We learn that Ravenna is a shallow sorceress, with the sort of anger issues that would make the Hulk blush. She is obsessed with her beauty, and when her ‘magic mirror on the wall’ tells her that her sister is carrying a child destined to be more beautiful than her, she is left enraged.

Meanwhile, it is obvious that anger management issues run in the family, when her sister kills her lover, the Duke of Blackwood (Colin Morgan), after she discovers that he has murdered their baby girl. Erupting like a long dormant ice volcano, Freya unleashes an icy storm of powers that would even leave Subzero from Mortal Kombat green with envy.

Using these abilities, Frey builds herself a fortress of solitude in the North where winter is always coming, slaughtering those who stand in her path. Strangely, she decides that this would be a great time to start an army of children. Two of these warriors, Eric and Sara (Jessica Chastain) grow up and fall in love much to the annoyance of the Ice Queen. For no reason at all, Frey ‘kills’ Sara in front of Eric, leaving him heartbroken.

Predictably, the rest of The Huntsman: Winter’s War follows Eric as he and his followers eventually tackle Frey. When the film eventually ends, there is relief because it is finally over. Sadly, this feeling doesn’t last because the film strongly hints at another needless sequel. With the money this has already made, to hope against it would be a fantasy.

Rated PG-13 for fantasy action, violence and some sensuality

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine May 1st, 2016