Snow Queen (2002) (TV)

Director:

David Wu

Writer (WGA):

Simon Moore (teleplay)

Release Date:

8 December 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Action

Tagline:

Where Winter Rules...

Plot:

The story is influenced by Hans Christian Andersen's story.

Plot Keywords:

Foreign Language Adaptation | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Bridget Fonda	...	Snow Queen
Jeremy Guilbaut	...	Kai
Chelsea Hobbs	...	Gerda
Robert Wisden	...	Wolfgang
Wanda Cannon	...	Minna
Meghan Black	...	Robber Girl
Jennifer Clement	...	Spring Witch
Kira Clavell	...	Summer Princess
Suzy Joachim	...	Autumn Robber
Duncan Fraser	...	Mayor
Rachel Hayward	...	Amy
Jessie Borgstrom	...	8-Year Old Gerda
Robert D. Jones	...	Priest
Alexander Hoy	...	Chen
Trever Havixbeck	...	Sergeant at Arms

Runtime:

180 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Ascension

Quotes:

Snow Queen: Did you really think you could take Kai away from me? I'm the Snow Queen.
Gerda: You're not the Snow Queen. You're just winter. And... and winter passes. It passes.

Soundtrack:

The Two of Us Will Always be One

Meandering and heavy-handed adaption

"The Snow Queen" is based on the famous and very beautiful fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, about a girl, Gerda, who goes on a dangerous journey to rescue her friend Kai from the clutches of the Snow Queen. This adaption attempts to capture that story's sense of adventure and luminously intricate imagery through lavish sets and production design, but fails on a number of counts.

Like so many Hallmark productions, the potential of the story is completely undercut by heavy-handed scripting and direction. The two actors playing Gerda and Kai are blandly pleasant but forgettable; Bridget Fonda as the Snow Queen looks the part but is otherwise miscast for the role. There's a notable lack of dramatic tension to this meandering three-hour miniseries. At least some of the pacing problems can be attributed to the addition of filler scenes that add very little to the original story, particularly in the opening hour that introduces the main characters.

That said, "The Snow Queen" would be just about ideal for pre-teens with a liking for fantasy and a bit of patience. It's great eye-candy without being scary, and the acting is pitched at the sort of pantomime over-the-top level that spells out the storyline in very, very bold text. Just make sure you read them Andersen's story too.