Despite a fabulous cast, Theron's absence for most of this visually outstanding but underwhelming film takes away its most compelling element -- a treacherous villain. Blunt is a wonderful actress, but her Freya, while fascinating, isn't as interesting as her older sister. She's like Elsa with a big army and a frozen heart, but she's not convincingly eeevil like Ravenna. The romantic subplot between Eric and Sara is predictable from the first time they lay eyes on each other as kidnapped children, and no time is spent on how their forbidden love managed to grow in a kingdom where they're supposed to feel only loyalty. The messy plot doesn't allow viewers to see more than that they were the best and prettiest and therefore
