I didn’t have a lot of desire to see Snow White. Not because of its gazillion controversies – none of which I will waste time mentioning here – but because I felt burnt out over Disney live-action remakes. And frankly, the CGI dwarves weirded me out. But my daughter asked me to take her to see this movie, and I am a mother who will always encourage trips to the cinema with my kids. So we saw Snow White.
The movie doesn’t waste any time diving into the story. The beloved King and Queen have a baby during a snowstorm and decide to name her Snow White. The kingdom thrives until tragedy strikes with the Queen’s death. Enter the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who marries the King, swiftly arranges his demise, and seizes the throne.
As the kingdom falls into despair, the Evil Queen hoards jewels and food, while Snow White is left to clean and do laundry. When the Evil Queen’s magic mirror reveals that Snow White is the fairest in the land, the Queen orders her death. However, the Huntsman can’t bring himself to kill her and sends her into the dark forest, where she stumbles upon a cozy home owned by seven dwarves.
Snow White introduces several new original songs written by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Jack Feldman. They still pay homage to the music of the 1937 classic by including the iconic Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work, though it was disappointing to miss out on songs like I’m Wishing and One Day My Prince Will Come. While A Hand Meets a Hand — the love song between Snow White and Jonathan (a reimagined Prince Charming, now a bandit leader) — was sweet, the new songs didn’t leave a lasting impression.
Rachel Zegler’s portrayal of Snow White is empathetic and sweet, but she also gives the character a sense of assertiveness, making her more than just the traditional damsel in distress. It’s a solid performance. Unfortunately, Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the Evil Queen doesn’t live up to the iconic villainous role.
The Evil Queen, one of Disney’s greatest villains, is supposed to be cold, narcissistic, and menacing, but Gadot’s performance is robotic and, at times, unintentionally comical. The Queen’s motivation — jealousy over Snow White’s beauty — should be chilling, but Gadot doesn’t bring the necessary menace. Additionally, the way her character meets her end felt underwhelming and eerily similar to Voldemort’s death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. It was just very anti-climatic.
Now, about the CGI dwarves, which were my biggest concern going in. At first, they were jarring, but honestly, they quickly became the highlight of the film. They’re funny and surprisingly endearing, providing much-needed heart and comic relief. It’s a bit strange, but they truly steal the show, though I do wish their design had been a bit less unsettling.
Director Marc Webb’s heavy reliance on CGI—not just for the dwarves but also for the forest and its animals—is perplexing. A subplot involving Jonathan’s band of bandits also feels largely unnecessary, and overall, the pacing and cohesion of the film suffer as a result. It’s a shame, as the film had potential but lacks the focus needed to truly shine.
Ultimately, Snow White wasn’t the disaster some had hoped for, but it’s far from one of Disney’s more memorable live-action remakes. With an underwhelming performance from Gadot and an overall lack of cohesion, it’s a film that fades from memory quickly. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely forgettable.
