‘Snow White’ Whistles Its Way In As A Decent Live-Action Remake — Review

Disney’s Snow White live-action remake is something of an anomaly. With the behind-the-scenes controversies surrounding the casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White, the downward perception of Gal Gadot’s political views (and her overall public image), Snow White surprisingly makes for a decent viewing experience that caters to both those who grew up watching the animated original and younger audiences who now have someone to look up to in this live-action iteration.

Notable changes from the 1937 original include Snow White having her ambitions instead of just waiting for her one true love. The song “Waiting On A Wish” captures Snow White’s longing to become the girl she was meant to be, taking back the kingdom now ruled by the Evil Queen. This change adds more depth to the character and gives the audience someone to genuinely root for throughout the story.

However, when the romance does arrive with Jonathan, he is definitely no knight in shining armor. Instead, he is the leader of a group of bandits who act as a rebellious force against the Evil Queen’s forces. With this change, there’s a balanced, give-and-take relationship that involves both Snow White and Jonathan saving each other, and avoiding the usual “deus ex machina” trope makes it more interesting and a less one-sided heroic affair.

Zegler as Snow White faced unfair backlash, but for what it’s worth, she can sing and act, which is the most vital thing if you’re in a musical film. She brings a sense of earnestness to the role, embodying what it means to be fearless, fair, brave, and true. She delivered what was asked of her. Though she may not be most people’s first choice as a live-action version of the Disney Princess, at least she gets to flex her singing prowess, which was already present when she previously starred in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 West Side Story remake and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.

Moreover, Snow White’s story wouldn’t be complete without the seven dwarfs, or perhaps “magical creatures” — the result of a controversial decision for Disney to rename these characters. However, the “Heigh-Ho” sequence was a highlight that brought to life their introduction from the original, accompanied by an expanded vibrant and energetic musical number down at the mines. Despite their CGI-heavy presence, this didn’t detract from the viewing experience of seeing them on screen. To much surprise, the character of Dopey saw a departure from his original depiction, with his entire arc and interactions with Snow White being genuinely comforting and a bit emotional. It’s in these moments between Snow White and her companions that you realize that the film has enough heart to elevate a little bit from its source material.

A glaring nitpick that doesn’t go unnoticed is the casting of Gadot as the Evil Queen. Gadot’s performance sticks out like a sore thumb, and every time she’s on screen, you can hear a pin drop whenever she tries to be menacing and “evil.” Her presence is better with only a few lines, as shown in her minor performances as Gisele in the Fast and the Furious franchise and as Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Gadot may be trying to break free from her usual heroine roles by embracing a darker character this time around. However, you can see it clear as day that there’s a stark contrast between her performance to Zegler’s. Perhaps it’s the string of objectively bad performances in high-budget films that has left us skeptical about any growth in her acting.

Overall, going into the Snow White live-action remake with little to no expectations did offer a surprising outcome, with the pleasant musical numbers and story changes serving their purpose for what it is as a live-action Disney musical. It may not capture the magic that came with the original, but perhaps offering something more than what was expected as a shot-for-shot live-action remake is worth checking out.