Snow White: Surrounded by Controversy, Can It's Magic Still Shine?

In a world where the original is still credited as one of the greatest films of all time—winning multiple Oscars and launching what is now considered the Golden Age of Animation—does the live-action remake really stand a chance at success?

Before I go any further...

There are spoilers in this written review. However, you can find a two-minute spoiler-free review on my TikTok (@uninvited.reviewe) and Instagram (@uninvited_reviewer).

My Advice (That You Never Asked For): Stream It.

While the film’s landscape (or rather, its production design) is breathtaking, it ultimately falls prey to the very lesson it seeks to teach: beauty—like a good movie—is more than skin deep.

The Struggle of Updating a Classic

Disney faced a difficult challenge: how to handle the more outdated aspects of the original film—including gender roles, consent, depictions of dwarfism, and the classic "evil stepmother" trope—without alienating audiences. And can we blame them for trying? Yes. Yes, we can. Because they could have made a better movie.

But here’s the thing: the 1937 film was very much a product of its time. There’s no denying its cultural impact—it was one of the first films to usher in animation’s Golden Age. We can appreciate the classic (outdated as it may be) while still acknowledging that it needed an upgrade. Just... maybe not this CGI-heavy version.

The Performances: Some Shine, Some Stumble

That’s not to say the film is entirely without merit.

Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) anchors the film with a maturity and grace far beyond her years. She seamlessly transitions from helpless princess to maid, to outlaw, to CGI dwarf babysitter (?!), and back to princess—making it all look effortless. She’s definitely someone to watch as she continues her Hollywood journey.

But then... Disney completely fumbled Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen.

Stereotype of an evil stepmother aside, this character is iconic. She spawned an entire villain era that still hasn’t ended (from Cinderella and nearly every other Disney princess movie to Sleepy Hollow, Nanny McPhee, The Parent Trap, and even the criminally underrated horror film The Uninvited). Some could (and I do) argue that the "singular evil villain" trope traces back to the original Evil Queen herself.

I had high hopes! We were finally getting background information on Snow White—maybe we’d flesh out the villain too? No? Nothing? Ugh.

Disney’s first major misstep was failing to explain why the Evil Queen is, well, evil. The only insight we get is that she believes beauty equals power. But why? How did this belief form? We don’t get answers. We just get a rehash of the same monologue 3-4 times.

Well… that and a lukewarm song (with admittedly surprisingly decent vocals from Gadot) reaffirming her obsession with beauty. Without a clear motivation, her character is as fragile as her magic mirror—and my heart watching this missed opportunity.

The CGI Dwarves and the Love Interest That Isn’t a Prince

Now let’s talk about the CGI little people, the love interest who isn’t a prince, and his merry band of outlaws (seven… maybe eight of them? I lost count). They’re in the film for a total of… five minutes? I don’t even think they get a proper introduction.

If you think anything like me, then I bet you're thinking that maybe, just maybe, these were the original reimaging of the seven dwarves.

You know—before the backlash, Disney panicking, and last-minute changes. And honestly? That could have worked. A multicultural reimagining of the outcasts? With a love interest who isn’t a prince but the leader of said group? That’s a movie I’m interested in watching.

But instead, Disney doubled down—adding seven CGI dwarves while keeping the original stereotypes and names. Worse, this meant actual actors with dwarfism lost the opportunity to play characters representing their own community. A baffling decision, to say the least.

The Scene That Almost Saved the Movie

And then… a moment of brilliance.

Snow White finally does something. And not just anything—she walks straight into her kingdom, alone, and reclaims it.

No fighting. No magic. Just her own power.

This is a stark contrast to the 1937 version, where she’s whisked away to a different castle (so... what happens to her actual kingdom?). Instead, she faces the Evil Queen head-on and strips her of her power without spilling a drop of blood. It’s a powerful scene—if only the rest of the movie had been as compelling.

(Side note: Why did the Evil Queen get sucked into the mirror she broke? Any theories?)

A Few Final Thoughts

• Costume & Production Design: The film arguably stays truest to the original animation compared to any other Disney live-action remake—and it works in its favor. Though I would have really loved to see it deviate a little and let the Evil Queen let her hair down. Literally.

• The Music: A mix of hits, skips, and in-betweens, with several songs feeling oddly reminiscent of other Disney musicals.

  • The Hits

    • "Good Things Grow" – A solid opening number with catchy lyrics and backstory (though it echoes Frozen 2’s "Some Things Never Change" a bit too much).

    • "Waiting on a Wish" – A strong lead single for Snow White.

    • "A Hand Meets a Hand" – A beautiful love song between Snow White and Not-Prince Jonathan.

    • "Heigh-Ho" & "Whistle While You Work" – Classics. You just can’t mess with them.

    • "Snow White Returns" – Chills. Loved seeing Snow White embrace her monarchical power with the support of her people.

  • The In-Betweens

    • "All Is Fair" – Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen solo is fine but struggles to be memorable (gives off major Mother Gothel vibes, though).

  • The Skips

    • "Princess Problems" – No. Just no.

    • "The Silly Song" – A reimagining of the original that just doesn’t land—possibly because the scene is too short or maybe because it was never meant to work in live action.

Final Verdict

Rachel Zegler does her best in a film that has a few powerful moments, but ultimately, it’s too surface-level to leave a lasting impression. While it isn’t worth a theater visit, it is just fun and nostalgic enough to warrant a watch when it inevitably streams on Disney+.