A new Snow White arises, but is the film a hit or miss?
With all the controversies surrounding the film, is it worth a watch?
Once upon a time, if you remember, Disney was a storytelling empire built on the foundations of magic, adventure, and fairytale.
Take for example, the original 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. We all know the essence of the story. It’s about an orphaned princess called Snow White who is envied by her wicked stepmother the Queen.
After the Queen orders her death, she runs away into the forest and finds refuge with seven dwarfs. But later, she is tricked into eating a poisoned apple but is saved by a prince’s kiss, sealing the Queen’s downfall.
For the past decade or so, Disney has released a stream of live-action remakes. It is from these remakes that we are able to witness how the tides have shifted towards progressive storytelling.
While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it does get people talking (in both good and bad ways). In various remakes of classic tales, characters have either been rewritten or changes are made to expand the storyline.
This is evident in the latest Snow White live-action remake by Marc Webb. While the story itself is a fairytale, the road to the silver screen was anything but magical. Instead, it became a battleground of controversy, sparking debates over casting choices, representation, and the reinvention of beloved characters.
Critics questioned the decision to cast Columbian-American actress Rachel Zegler as Snow White, as the image of Snow White we have accustomed to is a fair-skinned princess.
She also called the movie weird and dismissed the idea of a love story. Word on the grapevine was also that Zegler and her co-star Gal Gadot who plays the evil queen, are not on good terms.
There's more where that came from of course and if I were to be completely honest, the controversy that unfolded in the leadup to this film was what piqued my curiosity to review the film.
SO WHAT HAS CHANGED?
Disclaimer: There may be some spoilers.
Firstly, the original Snow White was a product of her time: wide-eyed, gentle, and waiting for her prince to rescue her.
The remake ditches the “someday my prince will come” trope and gives Snow White a far grander aspiration which is to rule her kingdom.
This remake introduces Jonathan (played by Andrew Burnap), a roguish, Robin Hood-esque outlaw who trades in royal ballrooms for back-alley rebellion.
This guy isn’t here to woo Snow White with sweet nothings, he’s busy leading a scrappy gang of bandits, robbing the monarchy blind, and playing the part of medieval social justice warrior.
It’s a drastic shift from the original “true love’s kiss” storyline, swapping out fairytale romance for a dose of political resistance.
Even her name’s origin is tweaked; instead of being named for her “skin as white as snow,” the new Snow White gets her moniker from a winter storm on the night of her birth.
DWARFS ARE MAGICAL CREATURES
In the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the dwarfs were basically just a lovable bunch of miners—cheerful, quirky, and totally willing to take Snow White in just because she was sweet and beautiful.
They didn’t have much of a backstory beyond their catchy Heigh-Ho work anthem, and honestly, that was enough to make them iconic.
But in the live-action remakethe dwarfs aren’t just small, hardworking guys anymore, they’re now a whole separate magical race that can live for centuries without aging.
And instead of just hanging out in the woods for fun, they actually have a reason for staying hidden: a deep-rooted mistrust of humans.
HIT OR MISS?
Love her or hate her, you have to admit that Zegler has the vocal prowess to carry the film’s new musical numbers, particularly 'Waiting on a Wish', though none of the songs quite capture the magic of 'Someday My Prince Will Come'.
Gal Gadot’s Queen is more than just vain. She’s manipulative, cunning, and surprisingly theatrical. It was pretty clear that Gadot had a blast in the role, channeling classic Disney villain energy while adding a layer of icy charisma, even though her vocal performance wasn't superb.
Despite the controversies, Snow White isn’t a total misfire. Perhaps younger audiences, especially those unfamiliar with the original will likely appreciate its message of independence and self-empowerment.
It’s visually polished, with charming moments sprinkled throughout, and while it may not stand the test of time like its animated predecessor, it’s a watchable remake.
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