(Reviewed by Preppy) - A fairy tale for horror fans.  Lilliana Hoffman (Monica Keenan) is growing up in medieval times. Her mother died in childbirth (in a VERY bloody scene) so she's brought up alone by her loving father (Sam Neill). He decides to remarry with a woman named Claudia (Sigourney Weaver). Claudia and Lilliana don't get along. Then when Claudia gets pregnant things get really dark...

To say anymore would be unthinkable. This is (obviously) not a straight adaptation of the fairy tale. It has all the elements: the evil queen, the enchanted mirror, the heroine's heart is to be cut out, the poisoned apple etc etc. but they're all given a horrific twist. Basically this is a dark fairy tale for adults and horror fans - NOT for children. There's plenty of blood flowing and people dying in this.

This was beautifully filmed in actual castles in Prague with quite elaborate costumes and settings. The acting is also good--Neill is given nothing to do but still puts in a good performance; Keenan is fresh and appealing; Gil Bellows is handsome, but wooden, as the hero and Weaver is a scream and WAY over the top as the villain.

Bloody and gruesome but fun (in a sick sort of way) and impossible to take seriously. In the right frame of mind this can be quite funny. I give it an 8.