Snow White and the many missed opportunities

Disney's live-action Snow White (2025) arrives carrying more baggage than the average fairytale princess. Unfortunately, the film buckles under its weight. In addition to the overwhelming pressure to modernise a nearly 90-year-old fairytale, it feels like this remake never quite figured out what it wants to be. It wants to be bold and progressive, but also nostalgic and familiar. However, in trying to do both, the movie ends up doing neither quite as well, which is a shame because these aspects aren't mutually exclusive.

To start with the good: the lead actress, Rachel Zegler, has a beautiful voice. Her musical numbers are the highlight of the film – warm, heartfelt, and one of the few times the story feels like it has a soul. Whether she's singing about longing, wonder, or courage, her voice carries genuine emotion and it's clear she was giving it her all in these moments.

However, outside of the musical numbers, the performances fall flat with a thud. Many of the characters feel one-dimensional which is only reinforced through stiff and emotionless dialogue. The pacing doesn't help either. Scenes that should be exciting or touching just sort of come and go with very little impact. It often feels like the cast is trying to act out a fairytale rather than live it, which makes it hard to stay engaged with.

The casting of the Prince and Snow White is not as compatible either as it seems, since their on-screen scenes are all awkward with a sudden love story thrown at the end. Even Gal Gadot's portrayal of the stepmother is not as frightening or intimidating as it's supposed to be.

Stories should evolve with the times. Disney has been remaking its animated classics for years now. While a few have introduced fresh perspective (Cinderella comes to mind), most have settled into a familiar pattern: retell the same story with live actors, CGI, and just enough changes to call it "new". Snow White (2025) falls into that exact formula, which has gone a bit stale.

Visually, the movie is well-crafted. The forest is lush and the castle is grand. But Disney's high production value is no longer enough on its own. We've seen these pretty backdrops before, and the movie can no longer use it as crutch.

The writing also falls short with the tone shifting awkwardly between dramatic and silly. Even the humour misses the mark. Children may be entertained by the singing animals and pretty visuals, but it might just fail to resonate with older audiences.

If you're a big Disney fan or simply curious, you might still want to give it a watch. It is, however, advisable to go in with low expectations. Otherwise, you're probably better off rewatching the animated classic. It may be old, but at least it remembers how to tell a good story – with charm, heart, and a bit of actual magic.

Tinath Zaeba is an optimistic daydreamer, a cat mom of five, and a student of Economics at North South University. Get in touch via [email protected]