After mountains of backlash, the new, live adaptation of “Snow White,” directed by Marc Webb, was finally released on March 21, adding to the continuously growing list of less-than-stellar Disney’s remakes.
Even with Rachel Zegler as a talented lead, ultimately, Disney’s attempt to modernize and embolden Snow White’s story while also preserving the original, outdated plot made the film chaotic and disorganized.
In this live-action remake, the producers decided to change Snow White’s original character into more of a leader and stronger advocate for kindness. Zegler belts lyrics like “So, will she rise or bow her head? Will she lead or just be led?” in a new song called “Waiting on a Wish,” showing her newfound determination to help the people of her kingdom. Though as a singer, Zegler sounds beautiful, the awkward musicality sticks out and certainly does not match the style of the original movie.
Zegler has a beautiful operatic voice and was more than capable of taking on the original songs in the first movie. Proven by her role as Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaption of “West Side Story,” she can hit a supported C6 without trouble. Zegler’s potential to be a classic Snow White is also seen in the song “Whistle While You Work,” taken from the original 1937 film, in which she sounded like a true princess. Yet, Disney disappointed everyone with a more superficial money grab that did not honor the original story.
Another disappointing aspect of the movie was Gal Gadot, the Evil Queen, who made “Snow White” increasingly difficult to watch. Gadot’s acting was mediocre at best, which was disappointing after seeing her potential prowess in films like “Wonder Woman.” Not only was her acting poor, the music written for her character was terrible. Songs like “All is Fair,” and its reprise set the actress up to display a lack of memorable vocal talent.
Unfortunately, what was more prominently in the minds of viewers before watching this movie was the discussion of feminism in regards to Snow White’s character because of some bad press runs in the lead up to the film’s release. In a 2023 interview that sparked public outrage for Zegler, she claimed that this modern Snow White does not need a man. This claim is contradictory to the plot of “Snow White,” as she does need a man to save her life by a “true love’s kiss.” This off-screen drama colored people’s perceptions of the movie.
Disney has proven they can create a more modern and independent princess, such as Moana, who has no love interest throughout her films and is dedicated to helping her community and saving it from the dangers of the ocean, though usually, the company’s depiction of modern feminism is lackluster. (Feminism does not mean every single female character must be strong and independent; instead, it means that women have the choice to do what they desire.) This movie was another sign that not every beloved classic princess needs to be turned into something more modern.
Though Zegler’s performance was notable and the set of the movie was beautiful and magical, there were too many awful factors in this movie. Disney once again proved to be unoriginal with “Snow White,” poorly modernizing a classic story and angering fans in the process. There is nothing wrong with a strong female character, but not every single female character needs to be domineering, something Disney clearly needs to learn.
