Snow White review – A mixed bag of magic and misses

Disney’s latest live-action remake, Snow White (2025), had me excited and skeptical at the same time. Would it recapture the charm of the animated classic, or would it be another case of “just because you can remake it, doesn’t mean you should”? Well, after watching it, I have thoughts.

Cast and Crew

• Director: Marc Webb
• Producer: Marc Platt
• Snow White: Rachel Zegler
• Evil Queen: Gal Gadot
• Jonathan: Andrew Burnap

A modern fairy tale with some twists (not all good ones)

The movie follows the familiar Snow White storyline—sort of. Our heroine (played by Rachel Zegler) is still the kind-hearted princess, but in this version, her stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), isn’t just jealous of her beauty—she becomes truly threatened when the Magic Mirror deems Snow White more fair than her, not just in looks but in spirit. This moment happens when Snow White begins to stand up for herself, discovering her own inner strength. Instead of being the passive damsel waiting for a prince, she starts to take control of her own fate—which, ironically, is what seals her fate in the Queen’s eyes. How dare she become strong and independent?!

From here, the Queen orders her death, and Snow White flees into the forest. So far, the film follows the beats of the animated classic fairly closely. She meets the seven dwarfs—except, they’re not the classic dwarfs we know and love. Instead, they’re a mix of CGI and motion capture (which we’ll discuss, because oh boy).

And then... things start to go off the rails. Instead of a prince, we get Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), the leader of a bandit gang. The idea seems to be that Snow White doesn’t need a prince to save her—fair enough! But did we really need this entire bandit gang tagging along? The movie introduces them in the second half, which is where it starts to lose focus. Their presence feels unnecessary, cluttering the story rather than adding to it.

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen, growing desperate, transforms into the old hag to trick Snow White with the poisoned apple. Finally, we get a scene that fully delivers on the fairytale magic—creepy, well-executed, and one of the best moments in the movie. If only the rest of the second half had been this strong.

The film starts out promising, sticking relatively close to the 1937 animated version, but the second half takes way too many liberties. The unnecessary bandit gang subplot, Jonathan as a forced love interest, and the lack of a proper prince all make it feel like Disney was trying to rewrite the story just for the sake of being different—rather than making it better.

What worked for me

The poisoned apple and true love's kiss

I was areally happy that the film brought back some of the key elements we all love from the original story. The poisoned apple made a return, and it was just as sinister and iconic as ever. Plus, the moment of true love’s kiss was included, which was a nice nod to the classic fairytale. Even though the movie took some liberties with the plot, I appreciated that they held onto these essential moments that give the story its magic. It helped maintain that familiar Disney charm, even when other parts of the film felt a bit off.

Rachel Zegler as Snow White

Zegler’s performance is charming—she brings warmth and sincerity to the role, and I genuinely believed in her version of Snow White as someone who sees the good in everything (maybe too much, because Jonathan? Really, girl?). She’s got a lovely singing voice, even if the songs weren’t my favorite.

The only downside? That hair. For some reason, they gave Snow White a hairstyle that, according to some people, looked oddly similar to Lord Farquaad from Shrek. It was stiff, unflattering, and honestly, a strange choice for a Disney princess. Snow White is supposed to be effortlessly elegant, but here, it felt more like a parody.

The Evil Queen’s transformation

I have to give Gal Gadot credit for one thing—her transformation into the old hag was fantastic. The special effects in this scene were mesmerizing, especially the way the forest creatures reacted to her dark magic. It was one of those moments where you go, Ah, yes. This is the Disney magic I came for.

The forest animals

One element I’m really glad they focused on was the forest animals, which are such an important part of the original Snow White story. I was happy to see Disney put extra time and care into these creatures, especially after the original film made them so beloved. The scene where Snow White is approached by the deer, and then surrounded by the other woodland animals, was the only moment in the movie that genuinely gripped me. It had that soft, magical charm that the animated classic exudes, and for a brief moment, I felt like I was truly transported into the fairytale world. It was a reminder of the heartwarming connection between Snow White and nature, something that gets lost in the more action-heavy parts of the film.

The stunning visuals

The set design was stunning—fairytale forests, grand castles, the dwarf's mine, and even the Queen’s lair looked fantastic. You can see Disney magic coming to life. The problem? Not everything blended seamlessly (cough CGI dwarfs cough).

What didn’t work for me

The Evil Queen was... kind of meh?

Let’s talk about Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Look, she’s gorgeous, she’s regal, but she never quite reaches that true villain level. I wanted something deliciously evil, something that made me fear for Snow White. Instead, she felt more like a cartoon villain from a kids’ show. She wasn’t bad, she just wasn’t scary.

The Dwarfs were... weird?

Disney opted for motion capture and CGI instead of using actors for the dwarfs, and it just did not work. They looked weirdly out of place—almost too realistic, yet not quite human enough. It gave me uncanny valley nightmares.

But it wasn’t just the way they looked that bothered me; it was also their lack of development. The friendship between Snow White and the dwarfs felt seriously underdeveloped. In the film, she spends just one night with them before taking off again, and there's hardly any real emotional connection between them. There’s no significant pushback from the dwarfs, no real bonding moment—nothing that makes their relationship feel special.

And don’t get me started on the iconic scene where Snow White kisses the dwarfs on the head—that was missing too. It left me feeling like the film didn’t quite understand the heart of the original story. So when the dwarfs are shown grieving over her while she’s asleep after taking the poisoned apple, it felt jarring. The emotional weight just wasn’t there. The gap between the little time they spent together and their sudden sorrow was too big—it didn’t quite add up.

The bandit gang (Aka, “less is more” lesson ignored)

Okay, why did we need an entire bandit gang? Jonathan (our new love interest) leads this group of outlaws fighting in name of the king, and honestly, they didn’t add much. If anything, they cluttered the story. Sometimes, less is more, and I would have preferred they focused on Snow White’s journey instead.

The songs were... too Broadway

I love a good Disney song, but the ones here felt more like something from a stage musical than a fairytale movie. Some people might love that, but for me, it took away from the whimsy and magic I wanted. None of the new songs were as memorable as “Someday My Prince Will Come” or “Heigh-Ho.”

That said, I have to give credit where it’s due—“Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work” were reimagined in a fresh new arrangement, and honestly, these moments elevated the film. The updated versions still captured the playful, classic Disney energy but with a modern orchestration that actually worked. These sequences brought a much-needed nostalgic spark, making me wish the rest of the soundtrack had followed suit.

The Evil Queen also got a few of her own songs, but unfortunately, they were a mixed bag. They leaned heavily into a Broadway-style performance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing—except they lacked that truly villainous punch. Instead of something chilling and iconic, they felt more like over-the-top theatrical numbers that didn’t quite land. Gadot’s singing was serviceable, but none of her songs had the commanding presence of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” or “Be Prepared.” They tried to add depth to her character, but in the end, they didn’t make her any more menacing—just more dramatic.

Jonathan as Snow White’s true love? Nah.

One of the biggest twists in this version is that Jonathan is Snow White’s true love instead of a prince. Now, I’m all for rewriting outdated love stories, but this? This felt forced. The chemistry wasn’t there, and by the end, I kind of missed the old-school Prince Charming. At least he didn’t come with an unnecessary bandit squad.

The Magic Mirror's logic

Also, can we talk about the Magic Mirror’s logic for a second? The moment it declared Snow White as the fairest of them all was the exact moment she started standing up for herself and embracing her inner strength. So, we’re saying inner beauty is what truly matters? Okay, fine—but then why was the Queen ever considered the fairest in the first place? She spends the entire movie being manipulative and, frankly, kind of rotten. If fairness is about kindness and inner light, then shouldn’t someone else have held the title all along? Maybe the castle’s head maid? A random villager? This sudden shift in criteria felt like a forced plot device rather than a well-thought-out character arc.

The strange death of the Evil Queen

I also found the death of the Evil Queen to be quite strange. It deviates from the original story, but I wouldn’t say it was an improvement. Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say the way they chose to end her arc felt off. It was a bold decision, sure, but in my opinion, it lacked the dramatic impact of the classic version. It just didn’t feel as satisfying or fitting for such a legendary villain. Sometimes, sticking to the tried-and-true can be more effective than trying to reinvent the wheel, especially when the new direction doesn’t quite land.

Final verdict: A fun but flawed fairytale

Would I watch Snow White again? Probably not. While there are some stunning visuals and great moments, there are also weird CGI choices, forgettable songs, and questionable story changes.

That said, I do recommend Disney fans check it out. It’s a pretty movie with some fantastic visuals, adorable animals, and of course, Zegler’s charming performance as Snow White.

⭐ 3 out of 5 stars. It’s a must-see for Disney lovers, but not quite the fairest of them all.

Watch my video review here:

Check out the trailer for Snow White here: