A princess joins forces with seven dwarfs to liberate her kingdom from her cruel stepmother the Evil Queen.
Chuck says:
Sometimes, the warning signs are there, and you just look past them. Such is the case with Disney’s “Snow White,” a live-action remake of the studio’s first full-length animated feature that’s been plagued by one behind-the-scenes problem after another. Granted, many of the issues dogging the project were exaggerated, the product of people with far too much time on their hands, looking for a reason to be “aggrieved.”
First, the casting of Rachel Zegler in the title role was apparently a problem because she’s Latina. For sane people, this is a non-starter, but the actress did herself no favors by criticizing the love story in 1937 original, calling the prince a “stalker.” Deciding to pour fuel on the fire, she criticized Trump supporters during the 2024 election, saying she hoped they “would never find any peace,” while her outspoken support of the citizens of Palestine was the icing on the cake for the Disney publicity department. That her co-star, Gal Gadot maintained a pro-Isreal stance, must have made for many tension-free days on the set.
And then, what to do about the dwarves? It was deemed unacceptable by, of all people Peter Dinklage, that making the film and using little people in these roles was insensitive. Test screenings in which regular actors were used as the miners proved underwhelming. Director Marc Webb went back to the drawing board, he and his effects crew finally settling on motion-capture animation to bring these characters to life.
And the movie? Well, it is the very definition of a needless endeavor. It isn’t necessarily bad, and it’s certainly not that good, it’s just…there, there in all its awkward glory, a misguided, at times badly executed effort to update a classic tale that was better left alone.
The crux of the story remains the same. The Evil Queen (Gadot) is jealous of her stepdaughter, Snow White and orders the Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) to take her deep into the woods to kill her. He can’t, she flees and conveniently finds the home of the seven dwarves, who are off toiling in the diamond mines. (Question – With all those diamonds laying around, why aren’t they the richest dudes in the kingdom?) While they are setting up house, a revolution is brewing led by Jonathan (Andrew Burnap, as dynamic as a burlap sack) and his very diverse group of hangers on, who happen to include, ironically, a pint-sized crossbow-wielding warrior.
The revolution angle was covered in 2012’s “Snow White and the Huntsman,” so these developments are hardly novel. Speaking of new, the seven original songs are instantly forgettable, except for “All is Fair,” a showstopper delivered by the Evil Queen, justifying her actions. Gadot is a hoot throughout, fully committed to her character’s extreme narcissism, while employing a surprisingly sound singing voice. As for Zegler, she also is fully invested, her voice also a pleasure to listen to.
As for the dwarves, they are nothing but a distraction. The animation used seems a bit outdated as the technology never comes close to replicating the sense of realism necessary to cast a convincing spell. They never truly integrate with their live-action counterparts, the result being an awkward mash-up, as if two disparate Disney productions had been inadvertently combined.
To its credit, the production design and costuming are top-notch, as ornate and detailed as a $250 million budget can provide. In that regard, Webb and his producers were fully committed to bringing the story to life. Had a similar approach been taken towards the septet of diminutive miners, this “Snow White” might have succeeded.
