Photo: Disney
We’ve been waiting a long time to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in live-action, but since its announcement in 2016, it’s been steeped in controversy. There was racist backlash over Rachel Zegler’s casting, a fire that engulfed the set, and anti-woke handwringing in response to Zegler stating this version of Snow White didn’t need to be rescued by her “stalker” prince. Plus, rumors swirled about tension between her and former IDF soldier Gal Gadot’s opposing views on Israel and Palestine. Despite all that, the only controversy to yield some on-screen change came from Peter Dinklage’s criticism of the film’s portrayal of dwarfism, leading Disney to replace the seven dwarfs with CGI abominations. Now, nearly a decade after the remake was announced, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is in our lives, and, predictably, the response has been as rotten as a poisoned apple. So much so that Disney and Variety have been accused of waging a smear campaign against the film’s young lead in efforts to shift blame for the flop from where it should be, and another forthcoming live-action Disney remake has been indefinitely shelved.
All of its baggage aside, the movie isn’t without its bright spots. Rachel Zegler is a true leading lady and does a lovely job creating a kindhearted princess you can root for. The only problem is she’s not all that recognizable. While no one expected her to mimic the warbling baby voice of the original, her extremely catchy new song, “Waiting On A Wish,” feels more like a Moana-style power ballad than something fit for the fairest of them all. What’s wrong with having a princess embody soft femininity? Why must they always have a battle cry? But more than anything, this modernized Snow White is completely dragged down by its CGI dwarfs—truly terrifying, soulless scene partners who are just as wooden as Gal Gadot’s Evil Queen. You simply can’t get past how their original animated adorableness is completely drained into the uncanny valley, rendering this remake a work of true irony: A lifeless imitation as pale as pure snow.