Snow White review: Rachel Zegler nearly saves Disney’s confused live-action remake

Scarcely any discussion focuses on Disney’s “Snow White” as the movie itself, while a great deal of content is available on the topic.

As a gamer, I can’t help but feel a tad weary about Disney continually revisiting their classic animated films for live-action remakes, particularly when they decide to tackle a timeless gem like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” a masterpiece that has stood the test of time. It’s hard not to appreciate its brilliance and wonder if it’s truly necessary to recreate something so iconic.

It’s quite different to leap to hasty judgments and declare that simply because Disney has opted to rework the storyline and casting, it undeniably warrants numerous articles, with little connection to the movie itself. Furthermore, the additional focus on this ‘controversy’ only serves to exaggerate its significance, turning it into a larger issue than it truly needs to be.

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At long last, Snow White hits the big screen this week, opening up conversations about whether it stands on its own merits as a film. To be fair, it’s not exactly stellar, but then again, neither were the live-action reboots of Dumbo, The Lion King, and Pinocchio, which didn’t stir up the same level of controversy before their release.

The initial opposition to the movie version of Snow White surfaced upon casting Rachel Zegler, primarily because she has Colombian ancestry. Instead of “skin as white as snow”, Snow White is now depicted as having been born during a snowstorm, and her name serves as a symbol of the resilience of her parents.

Critics might express reservations about altering the original Disney version, but it’s important to remember that this wasn’t a literal adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale it was modeled after. In reality, Zegler delivers a compelling performance as the innocent princess who maintains optimism towards all, making her standout in this remake.

Zegler skillfully breathes life into the somewhat familiar tunes by The Greatest Showman songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, through her expressive singing style. Furthermore, she convincingly handles numerous phrases that reiterate the theme of trusting one another.

In a nutshell, Gal Gadot does an acceptable job portraying Snow White’s antagonist, the Evil Queen, though she falls short when measured against other captivating live-action interpretations like Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts. The performance of the Evil Queen singing her Disney Villain song (‘All Is Fair’) isn’t as engaging as it could be, with Gadot not having the same vocal prowess as Zegler. However, she’s not the main problem in this adaptation either.

While it’s overly dramatic to claim that the problems with Snow White are present in everything else, it wouldn’t be entirely untrue either. If Disney were to produce more live-action adaptations, altering elements, including the storyline, is acceptable. However, this remake seems to confuse larger changes for improvements and fails to fully distance itself from the original tale.

The main difference in this version lies in the absence of a prince; instead, we have a charming outlaw named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who leads a group of rebels. It is Jonathan who encourages Snow White to emulate her father’s leadership qualities, and their duet ‘A Hand Meets A Hand’ is an impressive musical moment. However, the reimagining struggles to modernize the traditional “true love’s kiss” motif as effectively as a movie like Frozen managed to do.

The revamped version of the tale doesn’t lead anywhere significant or gives Jonathan more importance in the narrative. A more intriguing perspective might involve a Snow White devoid of a romantic interest. However, despite introducing new elements (such as Snow White not cleaning the cottage), the remake remains excessively conventional and adheres too closely to the original animation.

In this modern rendition of Snow White, the tunes don’t entirely shake off the animated feel. The popular numbers like ‘Heigh-Ho’ and ‘Whistle While You Work’ are still present, but they’ve been extended in this adaptation – unfortunately, not for the best. Just like with the narrative, the charm of the original songs is lost, and the updated, visually enhanced staging fails to live up to the classic version’s simplicity.

This conversation leads us to discuss the seven dwarfs, where this reimagining falls short, not due to any acting choices, but because they are computer-generated characters. Unfortunately, these creations remain stuck in the “uncomfortable valley” of realism, with Dopey being a standout example that borders on terrifying due to his overly childlike portrayal. This choice seems puzzling for a live-action remake, and it ultimately fails to deliver an enjoyable experience.

In the remake, an excessive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) is noticeable not just in special effects but also in the overall visual style of the film. Even though real sets were employed, the bright lighting during the ‘magic hour’ diminishes the vividness of the setting and the striking costumes designed by Sandy Powell.

Regardless of Zegler’s powerful performance, even during the extended finale that is characteristic of Disney remakes (reminiscent of Martha moments), Snow White finds itself in a predicament. It aspires to carve its own path, yet fails to be daring enough to truly distinguish itself. It longs to be the most beautiful among them all, but ultimately falls short, becoming just another underwhelming remake.

Snow White is released in cinemas on March 21.

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2025-03-19 22:49