Battle of the Evil Queens

Sometimes, two movies starring women will be released at about the same time, or at least a few months apart from each other. Often, these two movies will be lumped together or compared to each other even if they have very little in common. (I’m thinking here of the critics that loved to compare What’s Your Number? to Bridesmaids even though the only common thread was a female protagonist who was a bridesmaid at a wedding.) And I roll my eyes and lament the fact that critics and audiences always want to pit women against each other.

But, er, sometimes two movies that are released at around the same time really are just that similar with extremely SAME premises and comparisons are just inevitable.

Apparently, movie producers decided that 2012 was a year that needed not one, but two retellings of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

In June, the world will be introduced to Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Rita the MRF from Arrested Development, the guy named Hemsworth who’s not in The Hunger Games, and the actress who probably wants to distance herself from Bella Swan and Twilight as soon as possible, thank you very much:

BUT. If you don’t want to wait that long to see an adaptation, you can also check out Mirror, Mirror, starring an actress with whom I am vaguely familiar…I think she was in Hook as Tinker Bell…

Based on these trailers, these two films are vastly different in terms of tone. But in terms of premise, we can see that both movies:

1) Downplay the role of the seven dwarfs by either eliminating them entirely or making them secondary to the queen.

2) Downplay even more the role of the prince. In Snow White and the Hunstman he doesn’t appear to be in the story at all, and in Mirror, Mirror, he’s the queen’s prisoner.

3) Re-imagine Snow White as a warrior princess, one seeming to defend herself and the other seeming to rescue a brainwashed prince.

4) Choose to showcase the Evil Queen far more prominently in the trailers than they showcase Snow White. This is even true in Snow White and the Huntsman, where the title character doesn’t even speak during the trailer.

As a feminist, I’m probably supposed to cheer on these new adaptations of an old story, because look! They gave Snow White a less passive role! She’s a warrior now and can kick some serious ass! The one in Mirror, Mirror even made a point about saving the prince instead of following the old story!

And yet, despite that, both trailers have me rooting for the Evil Queen. Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts look like they’re having such fun playing evil characters that I find myself agreeing with them. “You go, girl! Smack down that snotty little upstart and hold onto your throne!”