In 1937, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a film that was both groundbreaking and standard-setting. As one of the original films about good triumphing over evil, the dangers of vanity, and true love, Disney’s timeless classic was due for a modern update. While the studio’s recent live-action adaptations of animated classics have been hit or miss, “Snow White,” which stars Rachel Zegler in the titular role, contains a narrative that simultaneously honors the original fairy tale while honing in on the core themes of resilience, hope, and personal empowerment.
Rachel Zegler as Snow White in DISNEY’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Zegler is perfect for the role of Snow White. She embodies everything about the princess with the addition of a few modern-day character tweaks to make her more relatable and aspirational. Given the 88-year gap between the animated film and the live-action one, there has been an evolution in how we consume films and what we get out of them. This evolution over the decades includes changes in what we see now, such as cultural values, gender roles, and societal expectations.
With said evolution, “Snow White” challenges what a Disney princess should look like and globalize what they could look like. Rather than stay true to casting someone who fits the “white as snow” character, Zegler’s casting not only reflects the LatinX community being able to see themselves in the characters on the screen but also sees a character who is resilient and has leadership qualities. And the film has a creative justification for why someone who looks like Zegler is named Snow White.
Based on the 1812 fairy tale “Snow White” by the Brothers Grimm, the title film, directed by Marc Webb, using a script written by Erin Cressida Wilson, follows Snow White, a princess born in a peaceful kingdom ruled by a virtuous queen and King. The royal parents instilled the importance of ruling with love and kindness and the power of community, which comes alive in the “Good Things Grow” opening number. It’s a nice way to kick things off, literally. Dancers swing themselves into the air and spin around the kingdom, singing how the bounty would be impossible without the King’s grace and penchant for fairness. It’s a beautifully Disney way of seeing the world.
The song is also about wishing, in which Snow White’s parents teach her that wishes are about potential, growth, and believing in something greater than oneself. “A wish for who you want to be. Tell us who you someday wish to see.” It’s a touching scene between parents and child, the latter of whom watches with pride as Snow White grows into a kind and fair young princess.
Of course, things take a tragic turn when Snow White’s mother dies, and her father becomes bewitched by the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot). The evil Queen was so enchanting that her power knew no bounds. She only cared about her vanity and the power it wields over others. To protect that power, she would have to consult a magic mirror that would answer her one and only question: who is the fairest of them all?
Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Unwilling to abdicate her power, the Evil Queen sends the King away on a false threat that threatens the kingdom. The good King who swore to protect his people promised to return to his kingdom and his daughter. But he did not. As the Evil Queen’s power grew, she turned farmers into soldiers loyal only to her and robbed the reaches of the kingdom for herself.
As a result of the tragic turn of events, the Evil Queen also turned Snow White into a servant and locked her away behind the castle walls. But as long as the mirror answered the Queen each day that she was the fairest, Snow White remained safe from the Queen’s cruel jealousy.
When it becomes apparent that the Evil Queen isn’t so far after all, she sends her Huntsman out to kill her. Realizing she’s in danger, Snow White flees the castle to escape the wrath of the Evil Queen, where she comes across some woodland creatures who lead her to a picturesque cottage in the woods. The cottage is owned by none other than Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy, who spend their days digging for jewels in the nearby mines.
In this forest, she reunites with a local bandit named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), a new character for this film who is partially based on Prince from the original film.
(L-R) Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) and Snow White (Rachel Zegler) in Disney’s live-action SNOW WHITE. Photo by Giles Keyte. © 2024 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Naturally, a Marc Webb film is bursting at the seams with a colorful and vibrant kind of energy that captures the spirit of the original while also helping the move the story forward without having to resort to cheap gimmicks. Mandy Moore’s dance choreography not only livens up the screen with contemporary moves but also adds emotional complexities and layers that remind audiences of what it feels like to be a kid. Only a few can effortlessly convey joy, love, and fear into dance moves, and Moore does it with such a deft hand.
EGOT winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote new songs that started it all while updating classics like “Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work,” both of which have that Broadway and cinematic feel, considering how they were staged and choreographed.
The film’s villain song should be seen on the biggest screen possible. Gadot looks like she is having fun playing the film’s villain. It’s a new turn for the actress who has often played the hero or anti-hero. Surrounded by her loyal subjects, all of whom move in sync with her movements yet keep her the center of attention, “All is Fair” is such a good villain song that defines what is fair by the one who constantly needs to know who is the fairest of them all.
Gadot’s Evil Queen is all about power, and she uses her magic to keep her subjects under her control. With the flick of a wrist, she can conjure up a beautiful rose and then turn it into dust just as quickly. She doesn’t see the world the way Snow White does, and she talks about how people don’t want something as weak, frail, and fleeting as the life of a rose but instead want something strong and eternal like a diamond.
Jonathan’s cynicism only furthers his bleak misunderstanding of what the world is and not how it could be. Having seen what the Queen is capable of, Jonathan slowly begins to see the world differently when he sees Snow White’s compassion first-hand. That convincing is gradual, considering they are also paired together during a few action scenes and a magical musical number.
“A Hand Meets A Hand” redefines the traditional Disney romance song by focusing on when two people make a meaningful connection. Surrounded by a warm and comforting light, along with fireflies that make it more magical,” the song expresses how much Snow White and Jonthan’s world has changed ever since they met each other. Finally, “Waiting on a Wish” is just the right “I Want” ballad for a new generation. This reminds us of the power of a wish, and one may feel powerless to change anything because of the distressing circumstances, but somewhere within, there is that person with the desire to change to make those dreams come true.
By changing the film’s narrative but not straying too far from the spirit of the original, “Snow White” re-tells the mythology to reflect the times that we live in today. As such, it is an opportunity to tell a new kind of story about what it means for a young woman to be a leader and how his actions can inspire a community. Wilson approached the update with nuance, allowing Snow White to discover her identity through a struggle for survival and a demand for change for the better.
Zegler is absolutely enchanting as Snow White. Her performance as the title character is absolutely captivating as she embodies the character’s beauty, grace, and naivety while showcasing her compassion and strength. It’s no wonder characters like the seven dwarfs, Jonathan, and the kingdom can find her so charming. Going through a range of emotions from the sadness of losing parents, powerlessness for being unable to change the current state of the world, fear from knowing the Evil Queen wants you dead to hopeful when one discovers their inner strength, love when one finds connection, Zegler showcases what it means to be a Disney princess of a new generation.
Conveying the range of emotions that Zegler does in the film may not have been the norm back then, but this Snow White isn’t exactly waiting for her Prince to come, nor is she one to stand by and do nothing. Though she understands the power of a wish can change the world, she knows that wishing isn’t enough, and for a wish to come true, you have to put a little work into it and find some help to make it happen.
Ziegler may be the film’s beating heart, but it is not without some flaws and controversy. Some aspects of “Snow White” feel overstuffed and unnecessary. The addition of Jonathan’s bandit crew feels underdeveloped, considering they join in midway through. Then there’s the use of CGI dwarfs. Though utilizing CGI allows for imaginative depictions of the dwarfs, most of which ensures that the dwarfs’ appearances are consistent with the film’s overall aesthetic, the film still feels like it perpetuates stereotypes of old.
Of course, some of the modernizations of Snow White will likely upset the purists, especially when it comes to the depictions of the title character and the exclusion of songs like “Some Day My Prince Will Come.” While some may feel that the modernizations makes the live-action take drift too far from the original source material, they are necessary to reflect the world we live in today. This Snow White isn’t dreaming about true love but dreaming about becoming the leader that her parents taught her to be. Moreover, the film uses the chemistry between Snow White and Jonathan to reimagine True Love’s Kiss to fit with the times.
Though the updates are needed, “Snow White” has some tonal inconsistencies, which makes it a bit clunky at times. It’s serious at times to bring stakes but then the modernazations is an attempt to make it stand out from its animated counterpart. It’s a valiant attempt that takes a while to stick the landing.
Then there’s the CGI, some of which feels uninspired and dull. Yet, the film redeems itself though Sandy Powell’s costume design. The details on the iconic blue, red, and yellow dress are as gorgeous as they are powerful. And Kave Quinn’s production design brings a degree of tangiblity to a fantasy world drowning in CGI.
“Snow White” pays homage to the original through Zegler’s captivating performances and wonderful reimaginings of classic musical numbers while also speaking directly to contemporary social and political realities through the film’s messaging and a Snow White played by a person of color. Such changes proves even our Disney animated favorites are due for an update to make it more than just another escape fantasy, they are opportunities to tell stories that help its young generation to understand the world and inspire them to change it for the better.
8.5/10
Snow White is in theaters March 21, 2025 and stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White.
