On March 21, 2025, Disney released its highly anticipated live action remake of the 1937 “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” This remake follows the story of the orphaned princess Snow White, left to live with her evil stepmother. Since assuming the throne after the death of Snow White’s parents, her stepmother only uses her power for herself and neglects the needs of the kingdom. One day, a young thief sneaks into the palace in order to steal bread and bring it back to the people of the kingdom. Upon discovering the thief and asking a few questions, Snow White starts to fully understand the damage that the queen has done to her kingdom. With the ever-present fear that the queen has intentions to kill her, Snow White flees the palace hoping to escape from the queen, repair the conditions that her subjects have been living in and, maybe, even learn a few things about her late father. Her adventure is full of surprises, music and laughs as she rallies a team and grows her courage to finally take down the queen.
Some viewers adored the movie. One reviewer on CBR wrote, “One thing that easily stands out about Snow White is the way it successfully replicates the more magical aspects of the animated movie.” She touched on how the forest is just as enchanting and beautiful as its cartoon version, the endearing animals scattered throughout making “Snow White” all the more appealing. Additionally, many were captivated by the musical score, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Most viewers, whether they liked the movie or not, can agree that the music elevates the movie’s emotional scenes and displays a modernized approach to the story since the songs are influenced by today’s popular music and musicals.
While the movie has received some positive feedback, an overwhelming majority of reviews have been critical. “Snow White” has created quite a stir in the film industry and caused striking controversy. Many are upset by the CGI dwarfs, Disney casting Snow White as Rachel Zegler, a Latina actress and the comments that Zegler made on the original movie being outdated. One reviewer on IMDB wrote, “Snow White (2025), is yet another attempt to cash in on nostalgia, but unfortunately, it falls flat in almost every regard. From lackluster performances to subpar CGI, this film struggles to capture the magic of the original classic.” Critics like these felt that the remake simply did not quite capture the whimsical nature of the original film, but this is a task much easier said than done.
In my opinion, “Snow White” was pleasant to watch. I enjoyed the score, which I believe can really make or break a movie. Additionally, I loved the dresses worn by Snow White and the queen; I felt that they captured the essence of the 1937 film while taking a slightly more modern approach to their fashion. The depth that Marc Webb, the director, added to this version is something that I really appreciate as the 2025 film really focuses on what Snow White is capable of. She is strong and independent, which is important for young girls to see in a princess. The addition of Snow White’s revolution was almost necessary to the plot as the original was extremely one-dimensional. It was about as stereotypical as a fairytale can be; however, the 2025 version is far from conventional with a wide variety of surprises that make the film all the more interesting in the context of the original work.
My one critique would have to be that the animation of the seven dwarfs was very creepy. The dwarfs are supposed to be playfully endearing as they are magical creatures who are hundreds of years old and their origins are never fully explained. The 2025 remake failed to capture this quality, which was disappointing as I expected them to provide it. Personally, I felt that, more than anything else, they resembled mean, angry and old humans who just happened to be short.
To conclude, Disney’s live action “Snow White” was a big flop at the box office. While some were enthralled by the film and made nostalgic for a beloved children’s movie, others felt that it completely failed to restore the magic that the original “Snow White” brought to the screen all those years ago. The newest “Snow White’s” IMDB score remains at a whopping 1.6/10, which reflects the controversy and disappointment that followed its release. While I do agree with some of the criticism that the movie has received, I feel that it was not half as bad as many were saying and that many could have been simply looking for some flaw to be mad at. If you are planning on going to see it in theaters, my advice would be to keep an open mind as some actually enjoyed the film–it all depends on personal preferences and perspectives.
