The Asylum gets up to their usual tricks in the wake of Walt Disney Studios releasing another live-action remake. That’s right, the minds behind Battle Star Wars and Jungle Run bring another tie-in (“mockbuster”) to the fray with an animated telling of Snow White. For those playing along at home, this is The Asylum’s third adaptation of the beloved fairy tale after Grimm’s Snow White (released at the same time as Snow White And The Huntsman/Mirror Mirror) and Snow White And The Seven Samurai. So, how does this stack up against those versions of the story? For that matter, how is the animation versus the other animated fare put out by the independent studio?
“…Hildegarde discovers that Snow is alive via the Magic Mirror and concocts a way to poison the girl…”
Co-directed by Erica Duke and Michael Johnson and written by Lauren Pritchard and Joe Roche, the film begins on the day King Frederick (Danny Bonaduce) is to marry Hildegarde (Bonnie Gordon). Instead of getting ready for the big day, the king’s daughter, Snow White (Jessica Chancellor), is busy sword training with the huntsman Eckhart (Austen Moret). Once the bells ring, Snow races to get ready and, while doing so, spurns a gift from the soon-to-be queen. See, Hildegarde is obsessed with beauty and looks and such vain pursuits and tries to force that view upon Snow, who believes other things matter more.
Sensing the girl could potentially thwart her plans for power, the evil witch uses her magic to convince Eckhart to kill Snow White. However, the huntsman’s love for the princess means he cannot do the deed, and she flees into the woods until crashing at the small cottage of gnomes. It turns out the seven beings are also against Hildegarde, as she forces them to mine all day and night for gems and jewels. Of course, Hildegarde discovers that Snow is alive via the Magic Mirror (D.C. Douglas) and concocts a way to poison the girl and gain the upper hand forever.
"…Duke and Johnson prove that there's always something new that can be mined from oft-told stories..."
