Product Info

Studio

Disney

Director

Marc Webb

Genre

Action, Fantasy, Musical

Rated

PG

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Mar 21, 2025

Film Length

1hr 49min

Purchase From

Snow White is a live-action adaptation of the 1937 animated Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The film does a good job with its main plot but falters when it comes to the CGI dwarves and subplots.

Strong and Brave

© 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Snow White is played by Rachel Zegler (West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). From her acting to her singing, the actress does an excellent job portraying the young princess. The live-action adaptation depicts Snow White as stronger and braver compared to the fragile girl from the 1937 animated original, and she embodies it well. While quiet and timid at first, Snow builds up courage as the film progresses.

The Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman, Red Notice), has the looks to be the fairest of them all. However, there are scenes when confronting Snow or someone in the castle when Gadot’s acting doesn’t seem to fit as the villain. She also doesn’t sing as well compared to Zegler; it’s average at best.

The story for the most part is similar to that of the 1937 film. However, the 2025 version adds more depth to Snow White’s past as well as details for other characters, such as Dopey’s and Snow’s fathers. Snow’s character growth is a real showcase. The difference between her character when confronting the Queen before she escapes the castle and again at the end is night and day. Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap (WeCrashed, Under the Banner of Heaven), helps her in various scenarios, and their relationship builds through the film. The film also introduces Jonathan’s bandit friends who oppose the Evil Queen, but they don’t have as strong of an impact on the story compared to the seven dwarves. It would’ve helped had the story shown why they disliked the Queen and had their story intertwine more with Snow White’s more than just throwing them in during a sequence where she’s being chased by the Queen’s guards.

The film also tries to dive more into Snow White’s father, explaining that he was asked by the Evil Queen to go to war with the south kingdom and was never heard from again. Then he is brought back up as if he’s possibly alive. It doesn’t affect the main story, so it’s weird that the film pulls the audience back and forth in this way. In the same confusing way, the film goes into some detail about why Dopey doesn’t talk but doesn’t go into further detail with the other dwarfs. Learning how they all came together perhaps would have been a more interesting story compared to the back and forth over Snow’s father being alive or dead.

While “true love’s kiss” is still intact with this film, it’s done in a more realistic way than some stranger prince coming up to the deep-slumber Snow White after her bite of the cursed apple. The chase sequence where she runs away after the Huntsman tries to kill her captures the terror from the iconic scene in the original animated film, replicating moments such as tree branches trying to cling onto her.

Magical Word with a Weird Side

© 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The world of Snow White is quite magical. Before the Evil Queen resided in Snow White’s kingdom, it was bright, vibrant, and cheerful. During the Queen’s stay, it becomes miserable with a gloomy, depressing atmosphere and muted colors. The seven dwarves’ home does have that iconic feel like the original film. The dwarves themselves, however, look out of place. It’s not simply that they’re all CGI (computer-generated imagery) creations; they just look too abnormal. Casting real people would’ve been a better choice than this. That being said, the voice acting was good for these characters, but voices alone can’t save these dwarves.

The non-dwarf visual aspects are another story entirely. The costumes in Snow White are spectacular. From the iconic blue and yellow dress for Snow White to the Evil Queen’s attire, Disney didn’t slouch on the designs for these two. Even the side characters have impressive costuming. Furthermore, the lighting displayed across the apple orchard and during Snow’s awakening also look wonderful. The dark visuals when Snow runs through the dark forest capture some of the creepy vibe. The cinematography is great, too, following Snow as she runs through the forest. The cuts between characters feel smooth, too. The iconic songs “Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work” are here and reprised, but the originals still feel like they have more of an impact than in this version.

The Final Bite

Snow White is neither the best nor the worst of Disney’s live-action adaptations. Some plot pieces and the CGI dwarves keep it from being the best. However, Rachel Zegler’s strong performance as Snow White and the visuals not involving the dwarves keep it from being the worst. It’ll never replace the iconic original, but it’s a decent enough version to create a new generation of fans. Heigh-ho!

An early screening provided for this review. Snow White arrives in theaters on March 21st. Fans can visit the official website for showtimes and tickets.