Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today / Lifestyle

Movie Review: The Huntsman Winter's War

Jamie Regan
NZME. regionals·
3 May, 2016 10:41 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Jessica Chastain and Charlize Theron in a modern twist on a classic fairytale.

Jessica Chastain and Charlize Theron in a modern twist on a classic fairytale.

The Huntsman: Winter's War is a prequel to Snow White and the Huntsman and is a modern twist on the classic fairy-tale.

The story revolves around the rivalry between two sisters, Ravenna played by Charlize Theron and Freya, played by Emily Blunt. As Freya battles with the death of the Duke of Blackwood (Colin Morgan), who is the father of her child, she flees her sister's kingdom to start her own where love is forbidden and war reigns supreme.

Freya's huntsmen, Ethan (Chris Hemsworth) and Sarah (Jessica Chastain), eventually do fall in love and try to run away only to be stopped at the last moment by the cruel and unforgiving Freya. They are banished, separated and think each other to be dead.

The plot then jumps forward seven years.

Eric out alone wandering the woods is informed that the prized, all powerful Magic Mirror, which turns out to be another form of evil sister Ravenna, has been stolen and he must go on a quest to find it.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Freya is reunited with Ravenna when she takes hold of the mirror, and the two argue over the future of the ice kingdom until they eventually turn on each other for one final battle, with the aid of Ethan and Sarah, who are still fighting for love in the cold, unforgiving kingdom.

Although at times quite intense and mystical, the plotline was somewhat predictable and not much was left to the imagination.

The film has all the effects, poetic one-liners and battles that you would expect, but not much in the way that truly thrills or offers suspense.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Emily Blunt gives the best performance as Freya, keeping her stern look and mystique throughout.

I would recommend Huntsman to anyone who like medieval battles and a classic romance that is not meant to be.

Rating: 3/5 stars.

Discover more

Movie Review: My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2

14 Apr 11:37 PM

Movie Review: 45 Years

20 Apr 12:49 AM

Movie Review: Creed

28 Apr 03:42 AM

Movie Review: Florence Foster Jenkins

17 May 10:04 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Hawkes Bay Today

New Year Honours: Tech titan, red-hot racer, DIY philanthropist and 97yo organist among 177 recognised

30 Dec 04:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

New Year Honours 2026: The full list

30 Dec 04:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

From QI to Kirikiriroa: Alan Davies set for long-awaited NZ return

23 Nov 08:42 PM

Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

New Year Honours: Tech titan, red-hot racer, DIY philanthropist and 97yo organist among 177 recognised
Hawkes Bay Today

New Year Honours: Tech titan, red-hot racer, DIY philanthropist and 97yo organist among 177 recognised

There are four new knights and three new dames in the New Year 2026 Honours out today.

30 Dec 04:00 PM
New Year Honours 2026: The full list
Hawkes Bay Today

New Year Honours 2026: The full list

30 Dec 04:00 PM
From QI to Kirikiriroa: Alan Davies set for long-awaited NZ return
Hawkes Bay Today

From QI to Kirikiriroa: Alan Davies set for long-awaited NZ return

23 Nov 08:42 PM


Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 
Sponsored

Discover Australia with AAT Kings’ easy-going guided holidays 

15 Jan 12:33 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP