My Review of Disney’s Live-Action SNOW WHITE

We saw Disney’s SNOW WHITE at an early screening last week. It’s officially in theatres now.

I’ll just right into it – I have both positive and negative things to say about this movie.

First, the positive.

Snow White is an entertaining and undeniably cheerful movie. The best way to describe it? Simply put—happy. From start to finish, the film maintains an upbeat, feel-good energy that makes it a joy to watch. Even the Queen, typically a menacing figure, gets in on the fun with an unexpected song-and-dance number that adds to the film’s playful nature.

This modernized adaptation feels like a musical for tweens, featuring colorful computer animation and upbeat, original songs throughout. One standout track, “Princess Problems,” is a lively and sassy duet between Snow White and the “prince-like” character, Jonathan—who, with his charming and slightly mischievous personality, reminded me of Flynn Rider from Tangled.

While the movie doesn’t have a particularly complex storyline, that’s not really the point. It takes creative liberties with the classic Snow White tale, making changes to fit a more contemporary audience. Some may criticize these updates, but I think some viewers will appreciate the fresh take. Rachel Zegler shines as Snow White, bringing warmth and strength to the role, while Gal Gadot delivers a captivating performance as the Queen. Both actresses showcase their incredible talent, making their characters engaging and memorable.

And it’s very kid-friendly. Except for the Snow White’s parents dying (which they didn’t say much about), and some scary moments as Snow White got lost in the dark woods, the movie was lighthearted and innocent.

That said, I did have some issues with the movie. (Cue my criticisms – and note, there are some minor SPOILERS here.)

First, the storyline. Many elements of the plot feel overly simplified, making it difficult to believe it at times. I rolled my eyes a lot as events unfolded without much logic – like for example, Snow White helps Jonathan escape at one point, but the rope she unties seemed like something Jonathan could have untied himself, plus there were no guards to stop them.

Then there is a severe lack of character development. Snow White’s mom dies, then the would-be queen comes along and marries her father, and then he dies. Why would such a great guy marry such a horrible woman? (I guess the same could be said about Cinderella’s father. What’s with these kings?)

Later, bandits show up with patchwork clothing, like we’re watching a funky high school play, and there’s no background or explanation of any of them. I wanted to know who some of them were and where they came from.

There are flaws in the movie. One was Gal Gadot’s real-life Israeli accent while acting as the queen. The accent itself was fine until she showed up as the evil witch wanting to poison Snow White. She was disguised by magic, but her voice was the same, accent and all. How did Snow White not recognize her voice? Didn’t that reveal who she was? Even more so – shouldn’t her magic spell have changed her voice too?

The people of the kingdom are plain and uninspired. This was I’m sure the Queen’s intention, so she could be the only attractive one. But these people had no motivation or desire to make the kingdom better. Even the queen’s servants somehow forgot their pasts and couldn’t figure out how to band together and stand up to the queen.

This leads me to wondering: Why is Snow White the only kind and fair person capable of saving the kingdom? Was no one as kind or smart?

Even the dwarfs were helpless without Snow White. Like in the original animated movie, they needed her guidance to get their home organized and clean. And Dopey was silent until meeting Snow White. Her kindness fixed that. She just somehow could even make the mute talk?

What kind of world was Snow White living in, where literally everyone was a helpless disaster except for her, like she was some kind of savior? She didn’t have magical powers or anything. She actually seemed quite ordinary.

The queen’s death was anticlimactic. It felt like Disney decided “let’s not make this moment too big.” But I think it should have been bigger – and longer. The whole ending was disappointing.

I suppose this movie isn’t striving for realism—it’s pure fantasy, meant to be enjoyed for what it is. If you go in expecting a logical, intricate plot, you might find yourself analyzing it too much (like I did!). But if you let go of those expectations, you’ll find Snow White to be a cheerful escape, perfect for audiences looking for lighthearted fun.

The effects were good, and there were some tender moments. Thankfully, Disney kept some of the movie’s original elements, like the kiss that saved Snow White (though that wasn’t really explained – it just happened).

It doesn’t help that the movie has been entangled in many controversies, including star Rachel Zegler’s public comments, some changes in the story (her name is Snow White because she was born in a snowstorm, not because of her skin like in the original), and issues and delays with production. No matter what your thoughts on these controversies, they didn’t help the movie’s image.

But overall, Snow White is a nice, musical-infused adventure with a modern twist. It’s a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and if you don’t either, you’ll probably have a good time watching it.

It’s a movie my stepson for sure loved.

Plus, bonus – when we saw the movie, we got to sit next to Jason Matheson from The Jason Show! He’s so fun! Check out his show.

Watch the trailer here!