Review of Blancanieves (2012) by Jesse O — 26 Nov 2013

We really need more films like this in the world. I don't mean silent, black-and-white films. I mean films that take risks and try to do something unique and fresh. Granted, this film came on the heels of The Artist, another incredible movie, so it's not like this type of film isn't being done, there are a bunch of silent films on the independent level.

What separates this from The Artist is that I think, while it's a fantastic movie, it was a slave to its influences. And, in a way, you could say the same for this movie, but I felt that this film did a better job at creating a wholly unique film that stands out on its own, despite the fact that it's a re-imagining of a very familiar fairy tale.

It creates its own story that's really just a joy to watch, despite the fact that I do think that it runs a little longer than it should, especially for a film of this type. I think things could've been sped up and the film would've been better for it.

Not that I have a problem, because this is the type of movie that's just a joy to watch, you just have a lot of fun watching and figuring out what the film's gonna throw at you next. While the outline of the concept is pretty much the same as Snow White, the film tells the story in its own way and that's part of what makes it so good.

Seeing how they take a familiar story and give a whole new, and clever, twist to it is really fun. The acting, particularly by Maribel Verdu as the villain of the film, is pretty top-notch. Yes, the film is silent but the story is still exceptionally told by the characters' actions or body language.

The best at this, by far, is Maribel Verdu. The way she carries herself, her facial expressions, and her body language are outstanding. You don't have to hear her and she's still an incredibly effective villain.

One of the most effective I've seen in a while, actually. And Macarena Garcia is great as Blancanieves as well. Because, unlike Kristen Stewart in that Snow White movie she did, Macarena actually has that charm and charisma that would naturally draw people to rally around her the way the dwarfs did.

And, again, she does all of this without ever saying a word. Her presence definitely adds a lot to the movie. The story is really well-told, it uses all the "cliches" from silent films, intertitles (where they explain what's happening or show you what a character is saying), using the music score in place of dialogue in order to sell suspense, comedy, drama, etc.

But it's still got a strong story and a very enjoyable one at that too. That's about it really, the only problem I have with the film is its length. Other than that, the rest of the movie is incredible and it's definitely a film that film lovers have to see.