Recently, I had the opportunity to see Disney’s newest live-action re-imagining of Snow White, released on March 21. I grew up a Disney fan, and I will admit that when Disney’s original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs came out in 1937, it set the bar pretty high for animation and storytelling. In 2025, we find ourselves in an age where live-action adaptations are a common part of the Disney playbook. With Snow White, Marc Webb’s version revitalized the classic. The film stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. While there were a lot of controversies on casting, the essence of a fairytale movie was never diminished.
The tale starts with Snow White living under the tyrannical rule of her stepmother, the Evil Queen, who has ruled after Snow White’s father disappears during war. The Queen amasses resources and ill-treats the people of the kingdom. While learning about her father’s past and her people’s hardships, Snow White encounters Jonathan, a bandit who will be her protector. Together, they mobilize a band of rebels, including seven dwarfs who are depicted as magical beings. The story traces Snow White as she tries to overthrow her stepmother and regain her kingdom through acts of bravery and kindness. This not only strays from the original story, but also takes away the magic of a prince-princess fairytale.
Rachel Zegler infuses her character with enthusiasm and charm as Snow White. Her singing performances stand out in musical numbers, revealing her singing talent. Nevertheless, no matter how hard she tries, Zegler cannot make her character more deep. Gal Gadot is beautiful and stunning as the Evil Queen. Her performance is absolutely the best. She seems to be created for such films. But her character sometimes comes across as one-dimensional, with not enough back story and making her simply evil. The supporting cast consists of Andrew Burnap as Jonathan and a few Broadway veterans who play the dwarfs. A better writing would have made their characters more memorable.
One of the most glaring issues is the lack of consistency in storytelling. Various elements feel disjointed; characters seem to come from different movies altogether. This inconsistency makes it hard for audiences to engage with the plot fully. They tried to change the original script to modernise Snow White, which worked against their favor. Snow White’s evolution from passive princess to active leader comes across as abrupt. But there were plenty of positives. The visuals were beautiful and ethereal. Musicals in the movie contribute to the overall charm, with incredible vocals by Zegler. If we overlook the flaws in the narrative, it really did feel like a princess movie.
To sum up, Disney’s Snow White is a movie with a lot of promise, but it fails short in terms of its story structure and character development. Even though Rachel and Gal Gadot are terrific in their roles, and there are some wonderful visual moments, the strengths of the film do not make up for its weaknesses. As someone who adored Disney’s original animated classic, I thought this live-action adaptation was lacking in many areas. While it is a decent watch, the movie might have fared better in theaters had it utilized the original story.