I went into this movie with no expectations, which has become the norm for me walking into yet another prequel to a series that defined much of my preteen experience. I was pleasantly surprised, which is always a welcome experience. The story is well thought-out and well-delivered. The actor playing young Snow does a particularly good job of getting the audience to sympathize with and even root for a man whose fate we know all too well. Viola Davis also did a fantastic job. Rachel Zegler's character suffers a bit from the strength of all of the characters around her -- she is simply not the most interesting one onscreen. That being said, she carries off the role well. Definitely going to be getting the book and rewatching the movie at some point, plus I'll probably go back to watch the original series again.