JOPLIN, Mo. — I feel, as I begin my review for “Snow White and the Huntsman,” that I should answer the obvious question first: Kristen Stewart does not get her heart eaten.

I know there are many people, especially guys who were forced to sit through “Twilight” films, who were hoping to see some on-screen retribution, but it doesn’t happen here. You’ll have to be satisfied with vampire C-sections.

“Snow White” is an update on the classic “Snow White” tale, taking the story away from its Disneyfication and back closer to its darker roots. It has all of the familiar elements in it, including the wicked stepmother/queen, the fair maiden, the dwarves and the poisoned apple, but the atmosphere is much heavier this time around.

In this telling, Kristen Stewart plays Snow White, the young princess named for the purity of her spirit — not, as some might suspect, for the blandness of her personality. Snow’s mother dies when she is young, and her father marries Ravenna (Charlize Theron), a seemingly benign beauty who subsequently offs the king on their wedding night and assumes the throne.

Ravenna is a sorceress who, like much of Hollywood, maintains her youth and power by devouring the souls of the young. Every so often, she consults her sycophantic magic mirror, which gently reassures her that she is indeed aging gracefully and is still beautiful (I understand this is James Brolin’s main marital duty to Barbara Streisand). One day, though, the mirror betrays her, revealing that Snow White has now become the fairest.

I’d like to highlight the importance of casting.

When looking for a ravishingly beautiful example of the female form, one cannot go wrong with the radiant Theron. The former model-turned-actress has epitomized the Hollywood ideal of beauty since her introduction into films.

However, were the viewer to believe that another could compete with her looks, perhaps it would be smart to give the role to someone who doesn’t look as though she’s on a constant supply of sedatives, and who can manage to convey some idea of emotion.

I’m not knocking Stewart’s attractiveness, but Theron is Peyton Manning and Stewart is Ryan Leaf. Plus, I don’t get sleepy just looking at her.

Back to the synopsis: Ravenna orders her brother, with whom she shares a creepy Angelina Jolie-family vibe, to bring Snow to her so that she may devour her heart and maintain her youth (an idea practiced for some time and to great success by Jane Fonda), but Snow escapes into the dark forest, where the unnamed Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) is sent to capture and bring her back.

But the Huntsman knows he is to be betrayed as well, and the two go on a quest to escape the tyranny of the queen, eventually happening upon the dwarves (including Bob Hoskins, Ian McShane and Nick Frost, among others). It is up to this band of misfits, along with Snow’s childhood friend / Huntsman’s new romantic rival William, to find a way to combat the queen and reclaim Snow’s rightful throne.

Aside from being a bit long (judicious editing could have sliced 20 minutes or more off of the film and not affected the storytelling), “Snow White” ends up being a pretty entertaining, if somewhat predictable, distraction. The film is moody and atmospheric (a problem at times for the already dim presentation) but it works for the story being told.

The major issues I have again come back to casting.

Theron is an Oscar-winning pro, equally adept at drama, action and comedy. Her turn as Ravenna is a snapshot of someone taking a break from the more serious roles of late and just having fun, ravenously devouring the scenery as well as her co-stars. It’s an over the top performance that suits the character, and she breathes life into the film whenever she holds the screen.

On the flip side, Stewart is known mainly for playing mopey, angsty characters. This works for her particular skill set, as she seems very limited in range. For movies like “Adventureland,” her character was smartly written to accommodate this ability.

But for “Snow White,” she is asked to portray someone who is beautiful inside and out, someone who could inspire jealousy in the queen as well as stir feelings of love in the hearts of not one but two men, and her heavy-lidded pouting does little to convince the audience.

In one climactic scene, Snow is called upon to inspire the followers of her former kingdom to revolt and come with her to defeat the queen. It is the kind of rah-rah inspirational speech expected in such films, but she delivers it with all of the excitement of a tax audit. I half expected the crowd to turn from her and ask, “What’s for breakfast?”

“Snow White” is a film that is exciting in parts, plodding in others, but offers just enough to keep the viewer interested and involved.

It serves as a stark contrast of acting styles, and highlights why Theron is able to continue to build a varied and interesting body of work.

As for Stewart? Here’s hoping she invests that “Twilight” money well.