Margaret Korte
Print/Podcast Editor
Image courtesy of Disney UK Press Kit.
“Snow White” is what one would expect from the newest installment of Disney’s never-ending list of remakes. With unnatural acting and a convoluted story, Disney’s “Snow White” feels artificial and boring.
The film, starring Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”) and Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman”), tries to take a more contemporary approach to the original story.
The 1937 original (“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”) has been criticized in recent years for its one-dimensional protagonist: Snow White seems to have as much control over the events as the viewer does, just going along for the ride until she is finally saved by the prince she has always dreamed of.
However, the 2025 “Snow White” promised to be more of a modernized version of the classic. Trailers and promos made sure to point out that this wouldn’t be some antiquated fairytale.
“Snow White” begins with a narration of the princess’s (Zegler) upbringing, emphasizing the happiness and unity of the kingdom with a forgettable song. Then the trademark Disney misfortune occurs: her mother dies and her father remarries. After her father leaves, Snow White is left to live with her stepmother, who becomes consumed with greed and the need to be “the fairest of them all.”
The fairytale unfolds from there, with Snow White eventually fleeing and coming across a cottage inhabited by seven CGI dwarves.
The dwarves are just one example of the lack of magic in “Snow White.” Their presence feels mandated because of their roles in the original film, but they add little to the 2025 version. Though it would feel strange without them, they only seem to muddle the plot, introducing seven characters into an already-packed movie.
Zegler’s Snow White is more charismatic than the original but continues to be just as boring. She teaches the other characters to better themselves, but her character is already flawless in the beginning, so she has no growth. The viewer is then uninterested in how her story will end. Zegler’s acting is still impressive, especially considering the stilted script and the fact that she’s talking to CGI creatures half of the time.
Gadot’s performance as the Evil Queen is as unfeeling as the rest of the film, maybe more: her acting is robotic and her singing is strained. Rather than fear or intrigue, her main influence on the audience is to leave them wondering, “How much is Gal Gadot getting paid for this?” as they leave the theater.
Some songs were also included that had not been in the original movie. Their addition rushes the plot; because it is the same story, but more in-depth and with more music, the entire plot moves too quickly. Every issue is immediately solved, removing any possible intrigue in favor of a song—some of which are catchy, but are mostly endless and tiresome.
While it is an upbeat film that could be fun for young audiences at times, “Snow White” lacks emotion and feels like Disney is just trying to check the box for another remake.
“Snow White” is showing in theaters and is rated PG for “violence, some peril, thematic elements, and brief rude humor.”
As with many of Disney’s remakes, “Snow White” disguises a cash grab as a chance to give a classic a feminist spin. While it’s important to make female characters that children can look up to, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was made 88 years ago and is too late to change.
If it’s what they’re really aiming for, Disney should try writing an original movie to inspire its young audiences. In the meantime, if audiences want to see “Snow White,” they should just cut to the chase and watch the original.
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Margaret Korte–Print/Podcast EditorThis will be Margaret Korte’s second year on ECHO staff. She made several contributions while taking journalism class her freshman year. |
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