Snow White
March 19th, 2025
MOVIE: SNOW WHITE
STARRING: RACHEL ZEGLER, GAL GADOT, ANDREW BURNAP, ANSU KABIA
DIRECTED BY: MARC WEBB
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 1 STAR (Out of 4)
Where to begin with Disney’s new live-action Snow White? From the start, this reimagining of the animated classic had problems, with the trailer sparking backlash and ridicule across social media platforms. As it turns out, those early complaints were justified and merely the tip of the iceberg. Marc Webb’s direction tries to modernize a tale that’s already been told countless times, but the result isn’t just disappointing because it’s another cash grab – it’s a disaster in nearly every department. From the cringe-worthy CGI dwarfs to the auto-tuned singing and forgettable songs, this Snow White is anything but fair – it’s a rotten apple.
The plot doesn’t stray far from the original: Snow White (played by Rachel Zegler) is a young princess who loses both of her parents. After their death, the crown falls to her wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who relegates Snow White to the status of a servant. The kingdom is plunged into despair, but Snow White’s meeting with the charming Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) sparks a new sense of courage within her. This newfound confidence challenges the Queen’s rule, leading to Snow White’s eventual exile into the woods. There, she encounters the Seven Dwarves and gains the strength to confront her evil stepmother.
However, even for a familiar tale, the execution feels stale. While Disney has occasionally succeeded with its live-action retreads by offering great costumes, music, and production value, Snow White fails on all technical fronts. The CGI landscapes are flat and uninspired, lacking any sense of dimension, while the costumes look more like cheap Halloween store finds than something fit for a fairytale kingdom.
Erin Cressida Wilson’s screenplay attempts to breathe new life into Snow White by making her more independent and less of a damsel in distress. Unfortunately, this revisionism doesn’t solve the larger issue of a story that’s ultimately stuck in the past. In comparison, Snow White and the Huntsman now feels like a daring reinvention. The lone bright spot here is Zegler, who gives the role her all – singing with passion and bringing a refreshing sense of enthusiasm to her performance. Sadly, she’s left to flounder in a sea of mediocrity created by the film’s lackluster direction and execution.
But the film’s two biggest missteps are the atrocious CGI dwarfs and Gal Gadot’s unconvincing performance as the Evil Queen. Turning the beloved Seven Dwarves into ghastly CGI creations was an enormous miscalculation. Rather than the charming, endearing characters we’ve come to expect, these Dwarves are more likely to give children nightmares than evoke any sense of joy. Their design is off-putting, and their presence undermines any hope of nostalgia.
Then there’s Gadot. The actress, who’s proven her talents as Wonder Woman, is painfully miscast as the Evil Queen. Director Marc Webb allows her to “sing” two separate songs, both of which are over-processed with autotune and, in some cases, what appears to be AI audio manipulation. Her attempts at delivering a campy, exaggerated villainous performance fall flat, alternating between laughable and downright embarrassing. While credit is due for Gadot’s willingness to take a bold swing, it’s clear that she completely misses the mark.
Ultimately, Snow White leaves one wondering why Disney continues to make these live-action remakes. Who are they really for? Aside from Disney executives cashing in on a proven formula, these films don’t seem to resonate with audiences. Previous remakes like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Peter Pan, and Pinocchio have made little impact on the cultural conversation. These movies feel like an unnecessary rehash of something that already worked beautifully, stripping away the original magic in favor of a hollow, soulless spectacle.
As a parent, it feels like we’re being encouraged to dumb down our children’s taste in cinema, forcing them to lose the appreciation for the art of hand-drawn animation that made Disney classics so special. The revamped songs, like Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work, are utterly forgettable – and that, to me, ruins the movie-going experience.
In the end, Rachel Zegler shines in her role, but her bright performance is drowned in a sea of missed opportunities and poor decisions. Snow White may have looked good on paper, but the result leaves me feeling more grumpy than ever.
1 STAR
SNOW WHITE IS PLAYING IN THEATERS THIS FRIDAY MARCH 21ST, 2025
Written by: Leo Brady
