Disney’s Snow White 2025 live-action remake has been the center of controversy ever since its teaser was released. Some people have a problem with Rachel Zegler playing the central character, and some with Gal Gadot portraying the role of the former’s stepmother. The movie is underperforming at the box office, but seeing the comments online, it was to be expected.
After watching the adaptation, I agree and disagree with some points being discussed online, such as… The CGI dwarfs disappointed me, but the pacing of the movie is fast.
In this Snow White 2025 review, we’ll discuss its pros and cons, adhering to the film only, not the background surrounding it, because at the end of the day, Disney movies are about entertainment, not about political statements. (Even though I do wonder if the movie’s wokeness is maybe one of the reasons for its underwhelming reviews?)
Snow White Movie Review—Factors That Are Working & Which Are Not:
The Acting
The two main stars of the story, Rachel and Gal, are both A-listers and work sufficiently. There is a small backstory with Snow White’s past, and I think that provides a nice touch that layers to her character. Even though Zegler and Gadot do seem to overact at times, I get why; the movie is aimed at kids, and as a schooler, I would have liked the drama. Particularly for me, though? Zegler’s talent shines more at singing.
The Visuals
Being Disney’s fifteenth most expensive movie, the production budget must be as high as you can expect it to be. I personally liked the cinematography of the forest and the dwarf’s cottage part. However, the town and the castle could’ve utilized better visuals.
For me, the CGI animals seem to be the stars. Not only are they as cute as you would expect, but they literally help the characters in the movie, which gives the flick a cuter fairytale touch!
The Complainant With The Dwarfs
Yes, as I previously mentioned, I won’t talk about the background of the movie and the controversies surrounding the movie. But the fact that Disney used “magical creatures,” i.e., CGI, instead of real dwarfs in the movie based on the 1937 classic named “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” is a big disappointment for me as a viewer.
I mean, I get why the production moved with this decision (because of Zegler’s height being 5’2), but it still doesn’t feel perfect. There aren’t many stories with dwarfs as main characters, and I was hoping for some to grace our screens. Feels like a missed opportunity to me.
The Costumes
Generally, I don’t mention the fashion of movie reviews. But the Snow White 2025 costumes need a moment. Apart from the Evil Queen’s attire, the costumes personally feel underwhelming. I was especially disappointed with Zeglar/Snow White’s princess dress. (Similar to the time when Winx Club was adapted by Netflix into a series, “Fate: The Winx Saga,” and fans were finding the outfits lackluster.)
The costume designer, Sandy Powell, is a big name in Hollywood. She is the one who designed Disney’s 2015 Cinderella’s gown on Lily Collins, and it was perfection. Snow White’s gown? It lacks the magical touch and seems like a normal on-rent costume for a party. Also, why was the hero, Jonathan (played by Andrew Burnap), wearing a hoodie and jeans? Didn’t fit with the medieval world that Snow White live-action is set in.
The Music
The movie, being a musical, had a lot riding on the songs. The musical score is provided by the songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who are known for their work in The Greatest Showman on Earth. Again, consider expectations at their very best. In the Snow White live-action, there is a song every few minutes, but particularly, only two or three shine.
Knowing Zegler’s talent as a singer in West Side Story and other works, I knew this was the part of the movie she would glow and she indeed did. The songs Waiting on a Wish and Good Things Grow are the best and among the few things that make you say, “Yes, that’s what I expect from a Disney adaptation.”
Apart from that, I was particularly worried about how Gadot’s singing will be handled. But thankfully, there’s only one piece on the Evil Queen, All Is Fair; it’s dramatic but actually goes well like a typical villain song.
The Direction
The director, Marc Preston Webb, has a few hits trailing behind his back, with The Amazing Spiderman franchise being the most popular. I’m particularly happy with his work. Snow White 2025 stays true to the original in many aspects, like the central character running into the jungle surrounded by animals and being saved by a true love’s kiss.
But there are also parts making it suitable to be called a reimagining, such as a group of bandits fighting in the name of the king (Snow White’s father) and the titular character’s quest of talking about finding her father (something I personally believe should’ve gotten a better outcome towards the end of the movie).
Unconventional Opinion:
There have been many Snow White remakes over the past year: Snow White and the Huntsman, the Once Upon a Time TV series, and more. From these, the 2012 movie, “Mirror Mirror, starring Lily Collins and Julia Roberts, comes out on top for me. It also didn’t set any new records at the box office, but it seems like a better alternate version than this year’s Snow White live-action.
The 2025 remake reminded me so much of the 2012 flick in many ways. From how the princess fights with the bandits against the Evil Queen’s guards to the dance number at the end alongside the rest of the village. Another tidbit: The costume designer Eiko Ishioka even got an Academy Award nomination for her beautiful work on costume design, which, according to me, she rightly deserved!
At The End
It’s clear that Snow White 2025 won’t be winning the title of the best live-action remake of Disney yet. But it’s also not a total bore. The target audience, i.e., children, can very well like it, making it a good one-time watch.
This Snow White movie review is based on my personal viewing experience. It’s not a sponsored post, and I don’t necessarily want to encourage or discourage anyone regarding the recent adaptation. Movies hit differently for everyone, so please share your views below!
