Bryan Jones

Staff Writer 

Directed by Marc Webb, Disney’s 2025 live-action reimagining of the classic 1937 animated film, Snow White stars Rachel Zegler as the titular Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. While trying to stay true to the original, the film looks to add a variety of new elements.

However, in spite of those efforts they ultimately fall short, resulting in an experience that may may be ultimately appealing, but one that also lacks substance.

The narrative follows the classic tale of Snow White: a princess renowned for her kindness and beauty who becomes the target of her wicked, envious stepmother, the Evil Queen.

Forced to flee from her familial castle, Snow White finds refuge to the forest she flees to, where she meets the seven dwarfs at their home. The film attempts to make Snow White a more modern heroine as she’s made to look proactive in the face of danger. Yet, for each act of independence, Snow White still becomes the damsel in distress throughout most of the film.

The Evil Queen’s motivations are also expanded in this adaptation, but the additional exposition does very little to deepen an already flat character ruled by two very simple emotions.

Rachel Zegler delivers a performance of Snow White that waffles between engaging and apathetic. Whenever she sang, she was at her best, and while the musical numbers in the film aren’t quite memorable, they are the moments when Zegler shines brightly.

Gal Gadot on the other hand, while visually stunning as the Evil Queen, delivers a remarkably wooden performance. For a character that’s supposed to come off as menacing and imperious, Gadot’s delivery results in a character that’s more of a petulant whiner as opposed to an intimidating queen.

The two stars also don’t appear to have much chemistry, as the reactions between the titular heroine and the villain often feel flat.

The film’s visuals are a mixture of impressive costume work, coupled with an overabundance of CGI use. The fairy-tale setting is recreated effectively, and the castle and forest in the film are rendered with an exceptional amount of detail. Yet, the CGI appearances of the dwarfs is jarring, and often times the visual effects come close to resembling that of a video game. While the film is shot with vibrant colors, the heavy use of CGI ultimately leaves the art looking soulless, causing audiences to long for the days of Disney’s classic animation.

While the film does feature a soundtrack of mostly catchy tunes, and is one of the film’s highlights, the new songs are largely forgettable, although “Whistle While You Work” is easily the most appealing of them all. Zegler’s vocal performances are truly what made her stand out in the film and are one of the saving graces that stop this movie from being a slog to sit through.

Webb’s directing shows an appreciation for the source material, but the film is largely inconsistent throughout.

Some sequences feel like they’re drawn out excessively, and others feel rushed which leaves an inconsistency that damages the narrative flow of the film. There are hints of nostalgia sprinkled through, but the constant attempt to balance them with modern sensibility leaves the film struggling for a true sense of identity.

At its core, Disney’s Snow White is an ambitious film that tries to recapture the magic of its animated predecessor, but it still does not hold up quite so well. There are moments where the visuals pop, and there’s certainly a Disney spirit to it, but it’s plagued by shallow characters, poor pacing, and an overall lack of cohesion that leads to a ho-hum film experience.

Fans of the original may enjoy bits for the nostalgia, but if there ever was a case for Disney to go back to ultimately go back to animation as opposed to live-action, then this film is it. For all of the additional modernity, Disney still falls short in weaving an engaging film for all audiences.