The Snow Queen picture image

The Snow Queen

I feel like a broken record at this point saying that a movie can be both good and bad but that is what the Hallmark 2002 Tv-Movie, The Snow Queen is, it exists in a weird void of good/bad. The things that are good about The Snow Queen are really good and things that really bad are terrible.

I watched this movie a few weeks ago and it was REALLY long so keep that in mind.

Also this was based on Hans Christen Anderson’s story.

Bridget Fonda as Snow Queen with Chelsea Hobbs as Gerda The Snow Queen picture image

Bridget Fonda as Snow Queen with Chelsea Hobbs as Gerda

For a nearly three hour long movie the plot is pretty simple and yet insane. We have a Gerda who hates the winter because her mother was killed in the winter. And we have Kai a happy-go-lucky lad who loves the winter. Gerda’s father owns the inn where Kai works as a bellboy. Gerda and Kai then fall in love but one night a shard of a mirror falls into Kai’s eye and he turns into a jack-ass. Then a woman comes to the inn and kidnaps Kai. Gerda’s father has no memory of the woman and then Gerda finds a note from Kai asking for help.

Gerda then throws herself into a river and is save by the Spring Witch, who tries to keep her as her daughter. However Gerda has a magical rose brooch that once belonged to her mother and this brooch tells she must travel through the season to get to the Ice Queen who is keeping Kai. Gerda travels through the seasons, literally she meets them, the Summer Princess and the Autumn Robber both of whom want to keep her. As Gerda goes from one season to another, the Ice Queen has tasked Kai with assembling a magic mirror as she sleeps till Winter. Kai is made to work by a Polar Bear minion of the Snow Queen, who is in love with her.

As Gerda tries to free herself from the Autumn Robber she meets an old reindeer names Rutger. After they break free and head toward the Snow Queen’s domain they hear on the wind a story that the Polar Bear is telling to Kai about how Satan made the mirror for the seasons so that when they gazed into it the mirror reflected their essence. However the mirror was twisted and corrupted Winter and made her desire her power to be absolute. Winter then stole the mirror which weaken her sister seasons. Winter flew toward heaven to demand winter be the dominant season on earth but the mirror shattered and went into people’s eyes. Kai learns he can’t complete the mirrior as removing the shard will kill him.

Gerda shows up at the Snow Queen’s place, the mirror breaks, the Polar bear is really a prince and goes off with Snow Queen. Kai is better and him and Gerda return home, happy ending.

Bridget Fonda as Snow Queen with the Polar Bear The Snow Queen picture image

Bridget Fonda as Snow Queen with the Polar Bear

Postives, let’s start there. The first and most obvious best thing about this movie is, the Polar Bear. I’m not kidding. The Polar Bear puppet was hand-down the best thing in this movie. It looks so real. Seriously, it was better then any CG could hope to make. It was made by the Jim Henson company, so it’s technically a muppet.

Another positive thing is the movie takes it time to develop Gerda and Kai’s romance. We understand their connection and the change that Kai goes through as result of the shard.

I also like the idea of Gerda traveling through the seasons, reminds me of the Secret of Mana, old JRPG.

Kira Clavell as Summer Princess The Snow Queen picture image

Kira Clavell as Summer Princess

Now for the bad stuff. First and foremost, the acting, Oh Dear lord the acting! The acting was bad. Like BAD High school levels of acting. And not enjoyably bad either just painful. I’m not sure who fault this was because actors and directors seem competent, so I just don’t get it. Maybe everyone was having an off shoot. Regardless of abilities it was bad on the acting front.

Jennifer Clement as Spring Witch The Snow Queen picture image

Jennifer Clement as Spring Witch

The technicals weren’t anything amazing, except the Polar Bear puppet. There were some nice shots but nothing above average. The costumes were beyond silly though. Why is the Snow Queen wearing a feather-like collar? It just looked silly

The Snow Queen picture image

The Polar Bear fishing

Hallmark 2002 The Snow Queen isn’t like the worse thing in the world. If You have nearly three hours and can handle some truly bad acting give it a watch but if your not inclined you not missing too much except the Polar Bear puppet.

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