Is Disney’s Live-Action Remake Of Snow White A Mess Or A Masterpiece? [Review]

This damsel is not in distress. ❤️

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So polarising is this live-action remake of Snow White that people either hate it or love it. Mostly due to the controversies that surfaced waayyyy before the film was released, many moviegoers entered the cinema with a negative lens, weighed down by preconceived notions that were hard to shake.

But for those who managed to put those ideas aside, I believe they witnessed one of Disney’s most exciting remakes in recent years.

Once upon a time…

There was a kingdom where joy was second nature. A King and Queen ruled with quiet strength, raising their daughter, Snow White, on the simple but powerful belief that being “Fearless, Fair, Brave and True” could shape the world. Their voices, joined in a tender song, promised her a future filled with light.

But fairy tales are never just light.

The Queen’s sudden illness ends in death, and soon Snow White is left with only memories of her mother’s warmth. In his grief, the King is drawn to a stranger from far-off lands – a woman cloaked in beauty and secrets.

When war calls the King away under suspicious pretenses, the stranger reveals her true face. Now crowned Queen, she transforms the once-happy kingdom into a place ruled by fear, where trust fades like the last rays of daylight.

And so, behind castle walls, Snow White’s real story begins.

But first, the tea. ☕️

The Casting Chaos

When Disney cast Rachel Zegler, an actress of Colombian descent, as Snow White, the internet exploded. Right-wing voices like Ben Shapiro ranted, “The name of the movie is Snow White, okay?!” in a viral video. But the heat didn’t stop there.

Zegler added fuel to the fire when she called out the original story as “weird” and “dated,” slamming the prince as a stalker and vowing to play Snow White as an empowered leader – not a lovestruck princess.

TikTok had a field day, debating whether every female character really needs to be a “girl boss.” Still, Zegler stood firm, telling Vogue Mexico, “We’re not always going to have the same feelings as everyone around us, and all we can do is give the best of ourselves.”

Remake or Mistake?

Then came critiques of the remake itself. Peter Dinklage blasted the project on a podcast, calling Snow White a “f—ing backwards” fairytale about dwarfs living in caves. Disney quickly scrambled, promising a “new approach” and replacing the dwarfs with CGI characters.

But that didn’t sit well with some in the dwarfism community. Actor Dylan Postl slammed the move, saying it robbed little people of rare, major roles: “I can’t go for the Harrison Ford or George Clooney roles because that’s not for me.”

From Fairytale to Frontline

As if things weren’t tense enough, Snow White waltzed straight into global politics. Gal Gadot (the Evil Queen) has been openly pro-Israel, meanwhile Zegler has voiced pro-Palestine views, thanking fans online while adding, “Always remember, Free Palestine.”

The tension spilled into Hollywood, with protests flaring at Gadot’s Walk of Fame star ceremony just days before the premiere – pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrators both showing up in full force.

To top it off, Zegler and Gadot shared a very public (and awkward) Oscars stage on 2 March, presenting an award together while the world watched for any icy glares or forced smiles.

So, should we be ignorant and just enjoy the show?

No, of course not. But it’s also unfair to both the people who worked on the film and to us, the audience, to ignore the aspects of the film that make it a wonderful watch.

The backlash Zegler received for being cast as the ‘fairest of them all’ feels like an outdated way of looking at the character. Fairness can also mean impartiality – something Zegler champions in her portrayal.

And to be fair (pun intended), Zegler’s comments about the original story being dated aren’t far off. Her performance as an empowered Snow White who stands up for her people is far more satisfying than watching yet another damsel in distress.

“It’s time to restore our kingdom.”

Zegler brings Snow White to life like an animated classic stepping off the page. Her voice is so powerful, it elevates the songs sprinkled throughout the film.

One major shake-up is that The Prince is MIA – and instead, we get Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), a charming commoner-turned-bandit leader who hides out in the enchanted forest – the same forest Snow White runs to after the Evil Queen tries to end her.

Purists might clutch their pearls at this change, but Burnap’s Jonathan is a breath of fresh air. His stage chops fit perfectly into this whimsical world, and his arc adds a welcome layer of tension to the story. Plus, his chemistry with Zegler is electric. It’s been a while since a live-action Disney couple felt genuinely connected.

Gadot turns in a decent performance as the Evil Queen. Her dedicated musical number is surprisingly fun, not the trainwreck some feared. In fact, all the songs land well, with none feeling out of place. The classic “Someday My Prince Will Come” has been replaced with “Waiting On A Wish,” a soaring new anthem that Disney fans will likely have on repeat.