Mirror, mirror on the wall, what’s the flattest fairytale of them all?
Disney’s 2025 live-action “Snow White” is less a magical reimagining and more a confusing, CGI-drenched spectacle that left me blinking at the screen wondering, “Did they actually mean to release this?”
The 1937 animated classic brims with heart, innocence and timeless charm — qualities sorely missing from this muddled remake. Rather than breathe new life into a beloved tale, Disney delivers a hollow imitation powered by clunky special effects and half-hearted storytelling.
Judging by its sub-50% score on Rotten Tomatoes, I’m not the only one who walked away unimpressed.
Directed by Marc Webb, written by Erin Cressida Wilson and starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White, the film follows the well-known plot: A young princess battles her evil stepmother, the Evil Queen, who is obsessed with beauty and power, threatening not only Snow White’s life but the fate of the entire kingdom.
The movie opens on a promising note with “Good Things Grow,” a sweet musical number showing a royal family sharing apple pies with townsfolk. But that warmth quickly evaporates with the arrival of the Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot, who promptly chops off Snow White’s hair, dresses her in rags and locks her away.
One of the film’s boldest departures is replacing the nameless prince with Jonathan, a Robin Hood-style rebel played by Andrew Burnap. Jonathan leads a band of outlaws who steal from the monarchy and redistribute wealth to the poor.
It was a bold change, but Burnap delivers a solid performance, as his character helps transform Snow White from a helpless damsel into a real person.
But chemistry counts, and unfortunately, Burnap and Zegler have little of it. What should have been a slow-burn romance ends up feeling forced and formulaic.
Zegler, though, is a vocal standout. Her ballad “Waiting On A Wish” is one of the film’s strongest moments — emotionally rich and beautifully sung.
For a moment, it feels like the film might finally take off. But instead of rising, it stalls. After that performance, I wasn’t waiting on a wish — I was waiting for the movie to get good.
Then come the dwarfs.
Their CGI-heavy entrance, set to “Heigh-Ho,” is so synthetic that it barely qualifies as live-action. The visual effects are jarring, uncanny and, at times, borderline creepy.
I had hoped to see the emotional connection that once made Snow White’s relationship with the dwarfs so endearing, but it’s noticeably absent. While Zegler brings energy and care to “Whistle While You Work,” the surrounding scenes feel cold and distant. What once resembled a genuine family bond now comes across as hollow and staged.
Gadot certainly looks the part of the Evil Queen, but her performance falls flat. Her villain song, “All is Fair,” is well-composed and dramatic, but Gadot doesn’t have the vocal power — or the theatrical presence — to pull it off.
Gadot’s expressions are stiff, her movements feel unnatural and the uninspired choreography fails to lift the scene. What should have been a show-stopping moment instead fades into forgettable filler.
However, one rare bright spot emerges during the Queen’s transformation into the old witch.
For once, the CGI works, taking on a stylized, eerie quality that feels almost mythic — particularly in the haunting image of her rowing through a shadowy river like a figure from Greek legend. It’s a glimpse of what the film could have been if it had embraced stylized surrealism rather than relying on synthetic realism.
Throughout, Zegler remains the film’s most consistent strength. Her vocals on “Whistle While You Work” and her duet with Burnap, “A Hand Meets A Hand,” are redeeming moments.
Nonetheless, uninspired direction — from clumsy jump cuts to awkward slow-mo — consistently undercuts even Zegler’s best moments. The film needed dreamlike, imaginative visuals to match its song — instead, the numbers feel disjointed and unfinished.
Zegler has faced harsh criticism online in recent months for her casting and portrayal of a Disney princess, but this film’s flaws lie squarely with the studio. Zegler didn’t write the script or direct the scenes — she simply showed up and delivered, and for that, she deserves credit.
Where this adaptation really falters is in the details, as costumes and hair feel like an afterthought.
Snow White’s first dress is lovely, but when she finally dons the classic blue and yellow gown, it’s a letdown. The fabric looks cheap, and the design feels uninspired. Her bobbed hair, clearly meant as an homage to the 1937 look, comes off more like Lord Farquaad than classic Disney heroine.
Ultimately, “Snow White” is a cautionary tale for Disney: Not every animated treasure needs a live-action makeover. Revisiting a film as iconic as the 1937 original demands vision, purpose and heart — not just spectacle. This remake suggests that Disney may be running out of both ideas and magic.
Unless you’re a devoted Rachel Zegler fan, skip this one. But for everyone else, the message is clear: Not every story needs retelling — and this one should have stayed once upon a time.
