Movie Review ~ Snow White (2025)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs wasn’t just an animated feature when it premiered in 1937; it was a game-changer that would set the gold standard for storytelling in animation and revolutionize the film industry. Setting Walt Disney Studios on the path to become the entertainment empire it is today, it all started with a wish and a princess who whistled while she worked, a legacy that continues today with the release eight decades later of a live-action remake of Disney’s Snow White. It arrives shouldering the weight of high expectations, endless pre-release controversy, and the usual inevitable comparisons to an untouchable original. That’s truly taking a bite of a big apple on the part of the filmmakers.

Under the direction of Marc Webb (known for 500 Days of Summer and The Amazing Spider-Man films), this version, scripted by Erin Cressida Wilson, tackles a more community-focused narrative while maintaining most of the fairy tale’s familiar beats. Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) plays Snow White and brings steely kindness to the classic character finding a princess who is less the doe-eyed ingénue of the animated film and more a young woman determined to find her voice. She may be looking down into a wishing well, but a prince is not what she’s hoping for first and foremost. Zegler’s performance is warm and engaging, though the iconic costume and hairstyle feel like an anchor, limiting her ability to fully reinvent the role.

Clearly relishing playing against type as the Evil Queen, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) slithers through the film with a controlled menace, wielding her beauty like a weapon as sharp as her nails. Her icy disposition makes each line feel like a poison slowly taking over your nervous system. It’s the richly theatrical performance destined for campy greatness, tailor-made for drag performances in years to come. Consulting her Magic Mirror (Patrick Page, Spirited) often to confirm she’s the “fairest of them all,” the question is usually rhetorical until the day her vanity and paranoia collide.

By and large, the film follows the expected trajectory: the Queen’s jealousy toward Snow White morphs into murderous intent when her enchanted mirror takes a shine to her stepdaughter.  A Huntsman (Ansu Kabia, Last Christmas) with orders from the Queen to cut out Snow White’s heart, sets her free instead, sending the young woman fleeing into a frightening forest, finding unexpected allies with the woodland animals who lead her to a small cottage and its owners. The seven dwarfs—Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman, No Hard Feelings), Bashful (Tituss Burgess, Spellbound), Grumpy (Martin Klebba, Mirror Mirror), Sneezy (Jason Kravits), Happy (George Salazar), Doc (Jeremy Swift, Mary Poppins Returns), and Sleepy (Andy Grotelueschen, A Complete Unknown)—offer not just a refuge for the Princess but a community.

Wilson’s version expands their roles slightly, favoring certain fan favorites and short-shifting others (sorry, Bashful). However, hints at their mystical mining abilities feel underdeveloped. Why bother even teasing these fleeting moments if they will never fully materialize into something impactful?

A major departure from the original is the introduction of Jonathan (Andrew Burnap, a Tony winner for The Inheritance), a forest-dwelling outsider and rebel with his own gang of seven who befriends Snow White, nudging her toward taking a leadership role in her kingdom rather than simply fighting for survival. Burnap is decidedly charming in the role, although his chemistry with Zegler leans more toward fellowship than romance. His introductory solo number, “Princess Problems,” feels oddly placed, like a Broadway demo that wound up being pulled back into the final cut. Zegler and Burnap’s tender duet, “A Hand Meets a Hand,” fares better, providing an affectionate, if somewhat modern, moment of emotional connection.

Speaking of music, Oscar-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul pen several new pieces alongside the classic tunes. While undeniably catchy, their contemporary sound occasionally feels at odds with the film’s fairy tale setting—reminiscent of their work on The Greatest Showman. Zegler’s “Waiting on a Wish” showcases her impressive vocal range and serves as the film’s most memorable original addition, while Gadot’s “All is Fair” is a deliciously villainous solo for the actress. I’m not sure how much ‘help’ Gadot had in post-production, but her vocals are solid, and Zegler’s clarion singing is a highlight throughout the film. That being said, when the first notes of “Heigh-Ho” kick in, it’s a stark reminder of how timeless the original music remains.

The work of eight different VFX houses is evident in the film’s meticulous digital polish, but the aesthetic lacks cohesion from scene to scene. Mandy Walker’s cinematography captures the lushness of the magical forest with the touch of a discerning eye, while the dwarfs often appear convincingly realized through a combination of practical and digital effects. It’s clear the dwarfs were a top priority to get right, and while their integration into the live-action material is seamless, they lack the same overall distinction that made their original animated counterparts so memorable. Finally, production designer Kave Quinn shines in flashes, particularly in the dwarfs’ cozy cottage. Still, the work feels oddly generic elsewhere, as if repurposed from Disney’s other live-action remakes or purchased from an out-of-business Renaissance Fair.

Sandy Powell’s (another Oscar winner) costumes deserve special mention, in particular the Queen’s elaborate ensembles that both stun visually through their glittering glass and bejeweled adornments and for the way they cleverly restrict Gadot to acting primarily through facial expressions, a limitation she transforms into a strength. The opulence in Gadot’s wardrobe stands in stark contrast to Zegler’s more traditional outfits, especially the instantly familiar dress. The rest of the cast is appropriately bedecked and bedazzled or drab and dusty, depending on where the action occurs. Powell is always on top of her game in any genre, but she seems to have the most fun with fantasy worlds like these.

Where this Snow White ultimately succeeds is in its message and takeaways. Stripping away the trappings of the traditional fairy tale romance, Webb plays into the timely themes of togetherness and self-empowerment. It’s an apt idea that feels refreshing because it’s allowed to be modern without coming across as heavy-handed. However, some of the film’s tweaks seem like Disney’s carefully calculated steps to avoid public/media backlash rather than purely bold storytelling choices. The omission of Seven Dwarfs from the title alone speaks to an effort to modernize their first princess while sidestepping controversy. At its core, though, the film remains a recognizable adaptation of the beloved tale.

Despite coming across as overly earnest and overtly attuned to potential public outcry, Disney’s Snow White is nevertheless a solid attempt at updating a beloved classic. Few films could ever capture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the original, but then again, that’s what has made it evergreen. What it does offer is a visually luxe experience likely to resonate most with young audiences (parents, pay attention to the PG rating) and those open to their fairy tales reading differently now than when they were children. The fairest of them all? Not quite—but it’s still polished and reflects only the best in what we want to see shining brightly right now.