In 2015, Disney released its live-action remake of their beloved 1950 animated classic Cinderella. The remake charmed audiences and many critics, becoming the 12th top-grossing film of the year. Since its success, Disney has remade more of its animated films as live-action, including Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.
In 2025, Disney dares to make a live-action remake of the animated classic that started it all, the 1937 film Snow White. Rachel Zegler from West Side Story portrays the fair princess, while Gal Gadot from Wonder Woman slides into the role of her evil stepmother.
The movie begins with two little animals opening the fairy tale book Snow White, and a voiceover recites the classic opening line, “Once upon a time.” The narrator then reveals that Snow White was born during a significant snowstorm, leading her parents, the King and Queen, to name her Snow White. As she grew older, her parents emphasized to her the importance of being brave, kind, and truthful as a ruler; cue the first new, forgettable musical number.
The unnecessary remake moves along, largely staying true to the original, with Snow White’s mother dying and her father remarrying a beautiful and mysterious woman (Gadot). When the father doesn’t return from a crusade, the Evil Queen takes power and makes poor Snow White her servant.
Every day, the Evil Queen asks her magic mirror, “Who is the fairest of them all?” For years, the mirror replies that she’s the fairest. That is until Snow White comes of age and the mirror changes its mind, declaring Snow White the fairest in the land.
Consumed with jealousy and hate, the queen commands her huntsman to take Snow White out to a secluded place and kill her. The huntsman obeys the queen and takes the princess out to collect apples, but just as he’s about to end her life with his sword, she turns and asks why. He falls to his knees, apologizing, and tells her to run away and never come back because the queen wants her dead.
So, Snow White runs into the haunted forest, seeing scary images at every turn. Come morning, she befriends the animals that live in the forest, including rabbits, birds, and deer. Seeing she needs help, the woodland creatures lead her to a small cottage to rest. The small cottage turns out to be the home of the seven dwarfs.
Colorful but terribly unoriginal and marred by awful CGI effects, Disney’s live-action Snow White remake is a perfect example of why filmmakers should leave an animated classic alone. There is so much wrong with this dreadful remake, but let’s begin with the horrible CGI look of the dwarfs. The faces of the dwarfs have a ghostly, disturbing look, similar to the characters in The Polar Express. (It’s the uncanny valley phenomenon.) The CGI work is incredibly off-putting and distracting.
The new songs are forgettable and add nothing to the film. Worse yet, the filmmakers alter and modify the lyrics to two classic songs from the original: “Whistle While You Work” and “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go.” To any moviegoer who loves the original film or watched the “Disney sing-along” videos of the 1990s as a kid, this is sure to be upsetting and insulting.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot deliver weak, cartoonish performances that come across as play-acting. None of the emotions portrayed in the film—fear, jealousy, love, happiness, or excitement—seem sincere. Additionally, Gadot’s attempt to sing in the film leaves much to be desired. In fact, it’s truly terrible and difficult to endure. The production and sets, ranging from the courtyard to the castle to the dwarf’s cottage, unfortunately, come across as another failure, appearing fake.
Here’s hoping that movie audiences will steer clear of this dreadful remake and instead seek out and enjoy the timeless animated classic from 1937.
GRADE: D
MPA Rating: PG for thematic elements, some peril, brief rude humor, and violence
Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Release Date: March 21, 2025
Directed By: Marc Webb
