This isn’t your grandfather’s “Snow White.”
Savvy souls understand that going into Disney’s live-action take on its 1937 animated film. Judged on its own merits, the new “Snow White” delivers in ways live-action cash grabs films often don’t.
It can stand on its own, boasts strong performances and doesn’t bludgeon you with woke.
Yes, Rachel Zegler’s heroine is empowered in ways that are thoroughly modern, and Team Disney tweaked other factors to make it less “problematic.” Zegler’s performance still feels rooted in our storytelling past.
That matters. So does this “Snow White.”
Zegler’s Snow White, like the classic film, has a somber backstory. She grew up the child of a kind Queen and King (that order isn’t accidental on-screen). Her mother died when she was just a girl, and her father disappeared years later after remarrying a woman with less than noble intentions.
Yes, that’s Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. The King, apparently, isn’t a great judge of women.
Snow White grows up under the Queen’s punishing glare, resigned to a life of misery. That changes when the Evil Queen’s talking mirror – unavailable even at Amazon.com – tells her she’s no longer the fairest of them all.
That honor goes to the now-adult Snow White, driving the Evil Queen to the brink of madness. She casts Snow White out of the castle, sparking an adventure that includes a noble warrior, seven CGI dwarves and a forest full of adorable critters.
Said warrior is Jonathan, played by Andrew Burnap. He’s not a prince, thank you very much, but a Robin Hood-esque figure warring with the Evil Queen.
The film feels uncertain about their love connection, torn between a feminist ache to eschew men (ick!) and fidelity to the source material. Jonathan’s presence is critical to the story, but “Snow White” keeps pushing him to the side.
This is her story, by golly, and no cisgender man will get in the way. Even his heroic, third-act escape is edited to lessen the achievement.
Offensive? Updated? Your mileage will vary. Just know that “Snow White” is shrewdly assembled, rarely dull and avoids most narrative clutter.
Most.
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The screenplay is credited to Erin Cressida Wilson but she apparently had help. The dialogue isn’t whipsmart, and a few exchanges sound suspiciously like 21st-century banter, but it’s sweet when required and never insulting.
That’s a rave given the sorry state of screenwriting at the blockbuster level.
Director Mark Webb (“The Amazing Spider-Man” saga) had all that Disney cash to create a realm to keep our senses satiated. The film reeks of CGI splendor, but it’s rarely overpowering. Even the woodland creatures, who often do our heroine’s bidding, aren’t force fed to us.
Live-action tales typically drown viewers in ones and zeroes. Webb keeps them under control in “Snow White,” and we’re the better for it.
The film is mostly faithful to the original story up until the third act. That’s when The Zegler Effect takes over. Girlbossery ensues, yet it’s organic to the narrative up until that point.
Purists will revolt, and understandably so, but “Snow White” lacks the clunky mechanics of some woke films. There are no lectures about a woman’s place in society, no screenplay nods to fourth-wave feminism. Snow White is fulfilling her destiny in the only way she knows how.
Let’s not forget “Snow White” is a musical, cribbing classic “Dwarf” ditties like “Heigh-Ho” with several new tunes including the effective “Waiting on a Wish.” Zegler’s voice is wonderful, as is her attention to detail. She’s dialed in without appearing to break a sweat.
“Snow White” doesn’t buckle under the scars of its pre-release woes, including the addition of CGI dwarves. The latter are fine, but given the live-action nature of the story, a merry band of actual little people would have been better.
The “magical creatures” teased in that pre-release production still appear, but they’re integrated into the story. They still add little and, occasionally, hold the story back. And why is one of those “creatures” a little person actor when Disney refused to hire other little people to play the dwarves?
Weird!
“Snow White” features a moment or two that might scare little children, but its morally pure heroine delivers on the story’s ageless appeal.
That’s what family-friendly audiences still crave in the modern marketplace.
HiT or Miss: Yes, “Snow White” gives the classic tale a feminist spin, but sturdy storytelling and an on-point Rachel Zegler charm us anew.
Yikes. Every other respectable reviewer has stated this movie is clearly woke. The CGI dwarves look terrible and the movie strays from the original story often, and always for the worse. Pretty obvious Toto is trying to keep on Disney’s good side. Taking the politics out of consideration…this is simply not a good movie.
The Critical Drinker did an actual thoughtful review, taking in to account the rewrite from the original.
The preaching communist message as well as the horrendous editing, cgi, directing and acting are all covered.
The fact that this site burbles on for well over two pages of sycophantic crap while ignoring any of these subjects… you know actual film making and the critique thereof tells me never to bother coming here for honest reviews.
Whoever POS SOB AINO wrote the above review ought to find residency in the worst 3rd world hellhole available and never be allowed out.
Did you see the movie?
Not what I was expecting! This is the only favorable review I have read of it. I still won’t go to see it though.
If that mirror thinks the Snow White in this film is fairer than the Evil Queen, then it needs some serious glasses. Given the track record of live remakes, I’ll pass thank you very much. Good review, though. It confirmed what I had heard about the movie.
Toto misses the point again. It is the same way he gives Bill Maher a pass on all the whackjob positions he’s taken in the past (and still does), because he says a few things that are correct now. This version of Snow White should play to empty theaters or theaters peopled only by the wacky Left. Disney has proven consistently to be a greedy, devious, undisciplined, anti-American, misanthropic, and twisted company. That is reason enough to never pay to see something they do ever again. Note, I said pay. Seeing them without paying is a great way to stick it to them. But the fact this is a Disney project is just one facet. The other is the lead actress who had no compunction with trashing the classic and rubbing our noses in her personal political views. Nothing she is staring in should ever be paid for again either. There’s that notion again. Hit the Leftists where their heart is, in their bank account, and sooner or later, they will dry up and blow away like last year’s leaves. If you have to see this film, don’t pay for it. If you want to see this story, watch the original – you can’t get better than that.
How much did Disney pay to have this written?
Great headline! Suggests a subconscious link between a new Disney movie and heartworm while appearing favorable.
Regarding an amazing 1937 86-year-old Disney classic, the highest grossing animated film of all time during that era. Skip the remake, the trashing of a classic, and particularly the attitude and scorn of this actress and download the original movie to what those “original” creative writers, directors, and producers meant it to be. Snow White became one of many Walt Disney classics due to quality, not social messaging
That’s gonna be a no from me, dawg.
man, where did this goofball reviewer come from and how did he get space on fox?
this sounds like it came right out of the disney pr department..
the new disney, that’s focused on grooming kids for pedophiles and woke lgbt
Thanks, Christian. After ALL the press, you have to clear your head to be soo objective
No.
Lol. Nice try, but no one is going to watch this.
It’s not a ‘try,’ it’s a review. Feel free not to see the movie. That’s fine, and the marketing and stars have pushed too many people away. But I have to be honest with my assessments.
except us sane people never listen to liberal dweebs
This is why you’re a superior critic. So many of the others let their biases dictate their reviews.
You are the problem with Hollywood. No one will miss you both when your gone.
I agree with both of you two. There’s no way I’m going to see this movie. But I always respect Christian’s unbiased take on what he enjoys and what he doesn’t. That’s why I continue to visit the site.
I totally agree. Hating the movie because of the politics around it would make you less of a critic and more of an activist. I won’t see the film because I loathe Rachel’s public statements, but I appreciate your honest review.
Your assessment sucks, a lot like this garbage movie
For most of history, actors were considered below prostitutes in the class system. Zegler is doing everything in her power to prove history had it correct.
Don’t reward bigoted behavior. Don’t let Disney or Zegler benefit from your money by actually paying money to see this film.
Thanks for the honest review. This is a hard one to do since it has years of baggage and a very unlikeable star. But you have to judge a movie on its own merit, not how crappy the actors/actresses might be.