Snow White and the Seven Missteps

Disney’s live-action remakes have been a source of heated debate—a trend their latest release, Snow White (2025), has only continued. The studio’s 23rd attempt at revamping an animated classic arrived amid widespread fatigue and skepticism. The original movie follows Princess Snow White (Adriana Caselotti) in her attempt to escape her wicked stepmother, the Evil Queen (Lucille La Verne), ultimately ending with the Prince (Harry Stockwell) saving her through true love’s kiss. Audiences found that there were many elements of the original that didn’t fit into a 21st-century world, specifically Snow White’s dependence on the Prince to save her and the inclusion of the Seven Dwarfs, which single-handedly created new stereotypes about people with dwarfism. The remake attempts to recapture the original’s classic magic while reforming its more divisive elements. However, for most viewers, Snow White falls flat, plagued by lackluster visuals and an overcompensated attempt to fix the original’s flaws without any real substance. 

The first plot point that Disney attempted to resolve in the remake is Snow White’s (Rachel Zegler) dependence on the prince. A new backstory tries to emphasize Snow White’s desire to be the leader her parents wanted her to be, conveyed through the strongest original song in the film: “Waiting on a Wish.” As a replacement for the original’s “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” this update aimed to give Snow White hopes and dreams independent of any male character. Prince Charming is now reimagined as Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), a poor bandit who steals food from the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) to aid the impoverished people of the town. Jonathan initially assumes Snow White is searching for a wealthy and powerful prince to save her, but he is surprised to see her fighting her own battles. In a key moment, she outsmarts the Evil Queen’s goons in the forest, only for Jonathan to undercut this message of self-sufficiency by taking an arrow to the chest for her. Snow White’s journey ultimately leans less into independence and more into interdependence with her band of misfits. 

The decision to change her story sparked controversy early on, particularly after Zegler was announced as the lead and interviews surfaced in which she criticized the original movie. She framed the movie in the context of the traditional ideals of womanhood at the time of its release in comparison to 21st-century perspectives. Some audiences took offense at the implication that adhering to traditional gender roles is not “feminist.” Though it is true that empowerment lies in having the freedom to choose between a conventional or traditional modern path, the original Snow White was flawed, portraying women as passive. The remake made a fair attempt to correct this, but the story, requiring a true love’s kiss to awaken the sleeping princess, is inherently based on her being saved. The new movie steers away from some dated gender stereotypes, but it does not escape the weight of its source material through the incapacitated princess and her band of male admirers. 

Another attempted change was calling the Seven Dwarfs “magical creatures,” after Disney received backlash from actor Peter Dinklage in a 2022 interview with Marc Maron. Before the film’s release, it was implied that these would be revolutionized versions of the original characters, but the only real change was that the word “dwarf” was not said in the movie. The magical miners are still one-note caricatures and portrayed, through CGI, as less human than the other side characters (namely, Jonathan’s gang of bandits). They are the butt of every joke in the song “Whistle While You Work,” bumbling around while Snow White laughs merrily. This is exactly what makes this movie performative in its activism; Disney makes statements about its inclusivity and progressiveness without enacting any real change. The tension between nostalgia and current ideals is deadening, like a poison apple in the mouths of viewers.

Setting politics, feminism, and ableism aside, the movie doesn’t even deliver on the magic of music. Though “Waiting on a Wish” is lovely and Zegler sings it beautifully, there is no other memorable song or performance, with the rest of the music featuring repetitive lyrics and forgettable melodies. The townspeople’s musical numbers felt particularly monotonous, as they stood idly in the town square offering either generic praise for their town or exaggerated laments about its problems. One of the most appealing things to young audiences about Disney movies is their incredible songwriting. If little girls in Snow White costumes are not singing these songs on their way out of the theater, it’s a clear sign the magic has fizzled. In this case, the audience’s lack of enthusiasm is almost warranted, since these songs fail to leave a lasting or memorable impact.

Another Disney selling point that is lost in this movie is the visuals, specifically in the costuming. The townspeople are dressed in bright, clashing colors, each of them wearing a hat that resembles a dish towel. Snow White’s dress comes from a multimillion dollar production, yet looks no better than a costume from SophFrosh SING!. The Queen’s cape looks like the carpet from Dave and Busters. The sheer lack of attention to this aspect of the visuals is an embarrassing misstep. Some earlier Disney live-action remakes like The Jungle Book (2016) and Beauty and the Beast (2017) set a high standard for refreshed visuals, but this standard has not been met by Snow White. Disney did manage to retain some of its classic charm with CGI, bringing Snow White's doting gaggle of animals to life with the same big eyes and adorable personalities as the original. However, this effect is undermined by the seven “magical miners” who are visually alarming and immediately draw viewers out of any scene. Somehow, their exaggerated features in live-action make them look less lifelike than ever.

 This reinvention of a classic story fails to satisfy both traditionalists and critics of the original. Disney has received immense backlash in recent years regarding the remaking of classic movies, from racist remarks about Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid (2023) to human rights controversies surrounding Mulan (2020), and even the early discourse around whitewashing in the upcoming live-action Moana (2026). Audiences approach these remakes with the hope of capturing childhood nostalgia while experiencing a refreshed, more timely take on beloved stories. However, striking this balance is challenging—the film often sticks too closely to the original and feels bland, or it veers too far and ends up a disappointing reinvention. 

Excited young fans in Disney princess costumes flocked to the theaters, ready to fall in love with Snow White all over again. Yet, the Disney magic that drew people into the theater fizzled on the big screen. As one of the lowest critically rated Disney movies to date, this remake has proven to be a misstep. Rather than rehashing past successes to diminishing returns, Disney would be better served investing in original projects like Soul (2020) or Encanto (2021), which showcase genuine creativity and storytelling innovation.