A brutally honest review of the new Snow White movie.

Everything is in place for you to hate Disney's new live action adaptation of Snow White.

When Rachel Zegler was announced as the titular leading lady back in 2021, there were outraged cries from people who thought an actress of Colombian and Polish descent should not have been cast as a character described as having 'skin as white as snow'.

To be fair, these are probably the same people who teared up when it was announced that Halle Bailey would be playing Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid movie. Forgetting that mermaids, just like Snow White, are fictional beings who can be portrayed on screen by anyone who can hit the right notes.

The next wave of headline making-news came when Disney announced they would be using computer-generated dwarfs in the remake, in order to "avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film".

This led to a number of actors in Hollywood speaking out against the decision, including Game Of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage, who said he was surprised that Disney could be "progressive in one way, but … still making that backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together?"

"Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox?" he said on Marc Maron's podcast. "I guess I'm not loud enough."

Then in the lead up to the movie's premiere date, there were reports that Disney had scaled back the press tour for Snow White. This news came partly amid backlash against Rachel Zegler, who went viral in 2022 for saying the original story was "weird" and "extremely dated when it comes to the ideas of women being in roles of power."

There have also been rumours about a rift between Rachel and Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen in the film. Although the pair have never publicly commented on the speculation, their solo press tours and staged photo opps have done nothing to dispel the growing chatter that they do not get along.

With years of speculation, commentary, backlash and opinion paving the way to the film's March release date, it's not surprising that some people might be feeling a bit of Snow White fatigue, even before the film had a chance to play on the big screen.

When I attended a screening of Snow White earlier this week, I attempted to put all the noise (and a few valid concerns) out of my head as the iconic castle appeared on-screen.

To be completely transparent, my heart initially wasn't in it, and not because I have an intense amount of unfounded hatred against a young actress who dared to say that a story she loved could also stand to be modernised.

I am a die-hard Disney fan (not in an intense Disney Adult way, but in a way where I deeply appreciate the Disney classics and still listen to their soundtracks on a loop), yet I wasn't expecting to fall in love with this depiction. So many of the live-action Disney movies had previously left me cold, feeling like soulless replicas of the classics, rather than heartwarming nostalgia.

So I was beyond surprised that after seeing Snow White, not only did I not hate it… I actually kind of loved it.

Take a look at the trailer for Disney's Snow White, article continues.

First of all, Rachel Zegler is perfectly cast as Snow White. Her acting and on-screen presence feel like an animation come to life, and her voice is so incredible that even some of the sub-par new songs peppered through the film come to life.

Yes, her sickly-sweet princess demeanour is still on full display throughout the film, but that's just the personality trait that has always been seen as quintessentially Snow White, and has little to do with Zegler's performance. Her push for people to 'whistle while you work' could be likened to that one annoying colleague who pulls you into an all-day meeting while promising 'fun vibes'. Which turns out to be a small bowl of off-brand lollies placed in the centre of the table.

The sentiment is pure, but the execution is off.

In saying that, this version of Snow White has been slightly revamped for a modern audience. Instead of a damsel in distress, this princess is a young woman who learns to be a leader for her people. A princess who has to stand up to her evil stepmother, who, following her husband's death, immediately strips the kingdom of food, freedom and hope.

In order to reflect this, the original film's leading song, 'Some Day My Prince Will Come' has been scrapped in favour of the new tune, 'Waiting On A Wish'. It's a classic Disney 'I want' song, and one that fans of the genre will want to play over and over again.

The other big change up in this new Snow White world is that the classic Prince is nowhere to be seen. Instead, he has been replaced with a dashing new character named Jonathan (Andrew Burnap). Jonathan is a commoner who leads a group of bandits who hide within the magic woods — the same woods Snow White flees to after the Evil Queen attempts to have her killed.

Some fans might be distressed by this character switch-up, but Andrew Burnap's Jonathan is a welcome addition to this film. His theatre background plays perfectly in this heightened world, and his storyline adds extra stakes to the fairy tale. He is also perfectly paired with Zegler, and this is the first time I've seen real chemistry between the love interests of a classic live action Disney movie.

Where the film really falls down, unfortunately, is with Gal Gadot's Evil Queen. This is partly because Disney's original villain is thinly written and completely forgettable in this film. A voice proclaims that the Queen is evil when she first steps on the scene, but from then on her actions are completely lacklustre — even her own musical number cannot give her character an ounce of interest or elicit even the smallest taste of fear. At the same time, Gadot does little to elevate the character, which is a missed opportunity for a role that she could have really sunk her teeth into.

On the whole, this new Snow White is exactly what many fans wished for. An ode to the classic film that will fill you with nostalgia for Disney's first foray into long-form animation, but with enough new twists and turns to hold the attention of a modern audience.

The film is also visually stunning, so if you'd like to spend a few hours inside a magical Disney world, then this new Disney live-action offering might just be for you.

Disney's Snow White is now playing in cinemas Australia-wide. It is rated PG.

Laura Brodnik is Mamamia's Head of Entertainment and host of The Spill podcast. You can follow her on Instagram here for more entertainment news and recommendations.

Feature Image: Disney.