The long-awaited live-action Snow White movie premiered in theaters March 21, 2025. Directed by Marc Webb and adapted from Disney’s original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the movie has a run time of 108 minutes. The movie met controversy following its announcement in response to casting choices, changes to the storyline, and delays, but was adequate, with an easy-to-follow plotline and enjoyable characters.
Snow White’s (Rachel Zegler) character was similar to the original cartoon, a kind and caring young woman, though the film gave her a new empowered and independent side. She doesn’t rely on the prince to save her and is a capable leader. The plot mostly follows the original storyline, as the princess Snow White grows up, loses her parents, and falls victim to the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), overtaking her title as “the fairest in all the land.” She is then sent by the Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) to the woods to escape the Queen’s wrath, where she discovers the seven dwarfs.
The first appearance of the seven dwarfs is slightly unsettling as they were created completely with computer-generated imagery (CGI). The fakeness of the CGI made the movie hard to enjoy, and many fans criticized the film for not casting actors with dwarfism to make the movie more inclusive.
The soundtrack was moderate at best, lacking old classics and the enchanting melody of the 1937 film. However, Zegler’s strong voice gave the songs an intense effect. This contrasts Adriana Caselotti’s Snow White in the 1937 cartoon, whose voice was whimsical and soft, with a higher pitch. The difference in singing gave the live-action a more modernized feel, compared to the fairytale-like charm of the original movie.
Unfortunately, Disney removed the songs “Someday My Prince Will Come” and “I’m Wishing” from the original soundtrack, which gives the movie a fresher and modernized touch but loses a nostalgic piece of the original movie. The new movie introduced four new songs, “This Is My Time,” “Into the Unknown,” “Reflections of Hope”, and “Shadows and Thorns,” all of which sounded bland and similar, with obvious autotune.
The Evil Queen’s voice also changed, as the original voice actor, Lucille La Verne, used a raspier, regal tone. Gadot took on a pop singer accent, instead of the villainous pitch that other Disney villains have, such as Ursula and Mother Gothel. The songs’ lack of theatrics and range left the soundtrack feeling disappointing.
While some fans criticized Zegler’s casting for not fitting Snow White’s traditional look, she ultimately delivered a strong performance. In the remake, we get to know her love interest, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who isn’t a prince but a rebel. The movie builds a romantic plot line between the two, but doesn’t include the questionable “First Kiss” scene from the original. They cultivate flirty banter throughout the movie, keeping the tension high for viewers and adapting to a romantic love story.
Thankfully, most of the outfits were on point, sticking true to the 1937 film, with Snow White’s yellow and blue dress well-balanced between stately and practical. Her iconic red bow was missing, though, taking away some of the original magic. The other looks, like the Evil Queen’s, were similar to their original forms, fitting right into the movie’s theme.
Like most of Disney’s live-action remakes, Snow White has some flaws and controversy. It was a decent movie, the music was catchy, and the costumes impressed; however, the modernized tint to it took away the original fairytale-esque feel to it and seeped out feelings of nostalgia. The depth and storyline added to the characters did make the movie more interesting, though it wasn’t exactly groundbreaking, earning the movie three out of five feathers.
