The Huntsman: Winter’s War
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The Huntsman: Winter’s War

Trying to build a sequel around one half of a successful double-act is tricky work (just ask Speed 2: Cruise Control). As a sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter’s War just about makes it work. With Kristen Stewart’s Snow White gone, the focus is on Liam Hemsworth’s Huntsman. First as a child when he was enslaved by Ice Queen Freya (Emily Blunt) as part of her War on Love – Freya is the sister of first film big bad Ravenna (Charlize Theron), who developed ice powers after her baby was murdered by its father, which led her to declare that love was a cruel lie and so on – and then jumping forward to after the first film, where he’s given a mission by the now Queen White: destroy Ravenna’s evil mirror.

Nick Frost and Rob Bryon get laughs as comedy dwarves; Jessica Chastain as the Huntsman’s former love is no Cupid, despite being a dab hand with a bow. It’s too sloppy to be a complete success, but the performances are better than the material deserves, there are enough plot twists to keep things interesting and the action is decent enough. Plus Emily Blunt rides a giant polar bear, which you don’t see every day.

Reviewed by Anthony Morris