Summary
- Disney’s live-action Snow White remake has faced controversies and divisive early reviews.
- Multiple criticisms include missteps in choreography, humor, and unrefined characterization.
- The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score below fifty percent suggests it may only appeal to devoted fans and children.
Snow White‘s early reactions could spell trouble for Disney and its live-action remake trend. Starring Rachel Zegler in the titular role and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, Snow White is Disney’s latest big-budget live-action film and their newest remake of a classic from the studio’s animation catalog.
Nine years and various controversies after the film’s 2016 announcement, Disney‘s latest remake of Snow White appears divisive, to say the least. The original 1937 animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was Disney’s first feature-length animated film, cementing their foothold in the world of hand-drawn cartoons with princesses for decades afterward. Because of the original’s significant part in Disney’s history, Snow White in live-action is arguably Disney’s most crucial remake of their classic nearing-a-century-old animated roster of selections, even more so than The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. However, as soon as production went into full swing, things soured—things were not white as snow from the get-go.
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Snow White Reviews and Controversies
Premiering March 21, 2025, Snow White’s early Rotten Tomatoes score, produced from 94 confirmed reviews thus far, signifies Disney’s failure to escape the film’s wide-open controversies and director Marc Webb’s struggle with enlivening his subjects. Though early reactions praised the film, many critics now agree that Snow White is a bit of a miss, whilst those who praise it primarily see it as a decently crafted, if unoriginal and non-inventive, remake. While some say that Rachel Zegler is unyielding in the title role and the modernization of Snow White as a character is refreshing, these same critics, along with the film’s naysayers, say that missteps in choreography, humor, and characterization poison Snow White‘s pure intentions. Like with his Amazing Spider-Man flicks, some praise director Marc Webb for successfully reimagining the original’s visual scope, but he also gets criticized for his seeming inability to capture the characters’ organic appeal or new ideas.
Thus, it seems Snow White could not escape its production burdens—and many there were. Zegler’s casting as the titular princess was met with some criticism over her ethnicity, given Snow White’s depiction as a white woman in the 88-year-old animated classic. The film also reimagines the seven dwarves to skirt murky criticisms of the IP’s problematic depiction of Dwarfism, sparking back-and-forth criticism over offensive representation vs. real-world job opportunities. Zegler’s confirmation that the new film sidelines the original film’s love story sparked criticism against Disney for going too far in reimagining it for the sake of political correctness and against Zegler herself for daring to criticize such a vital Disney classic. Even the central duo’s political views on the Israel-Palestine conflict influenced the film’s recent premiere and press release cycle. Many warning signs have plagued Snow White‘s live-action debut, and critics appear similarly middling about the quality of this long-anticipated princess story.
Fans will still have to wait to see whether Disney’s latest live-action attempt is a success or another time-waster. For now, Rotten Tomatoes’ below-fifty-percent score signifies that perhaps only Snow White‘s most adoring fans—and kids—will appreciate Disney’s latest musical romp. However, there is still a chance for a surprising change in opinion, especially with its few definitively golden tidbits, like Rachel Zegler’s admirable performance and some awe-inspiring musicals for hopefuls to ooze over.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
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