Disney’s latest live-action outing, Snow White, is… fine. And honestly? That’s okay.
After months of internet drama, hot takes, and a press tour that nearly overshadowed the film itself, the final product emerges as something far less controversial than expected. Not a triumph, not a travesty—just a decent, modern retelling that occasionally sparkles, especially when it dares to color outside the lines of its 1937 blueprint.
The magic is in the music
The film’s most successful choices come from its willingness to bring fresh energy to Snow’s world, particularly through new songs. With The Greatest Showman’s Pasek and Paul penning original tunes, the bar was always going to be high—and they largely deliver.
Waiting on a Wish is a charming standout, giving Snow a clearer sense of longing and inner life beyond “someday my prince will come.” But the true show-stealer is Princess Problems—a cheeky, soaring anthem that somehow juggles sincerity and satire without toppling over. These moments remind us that, when given the creative freedom, Disney’s live-action remakes can evolve beyond glossy nostalgia.
A more colourful kingdom
Visually, Snow White makes some bold and welcome departures. Where previous remakes (*looking at you, The Little Mermaid) leaned into shadowy palettes and realism, this film embraces colour in a way that feels almost radical for modern Disney. The sets are painterly, the costumes vivid, and the entire production has a storybook softness that nods back to the animated original while still feeling contemporary. It’s a refreshing shift—one that actually invites wonder, rather than stifling it under grit and gloom.
The fairest (and not-so-fairest) of them all
Rachel Zegler steps into the title role with poise and warmth. Her Snow White is more grounded and less saccharine, and while her performance might not be transformative, it certainly doesn’t warrant the strange and often unfair vitriol that’s followed her. She sings beautifully, emotes with sincerity, and brings enough charisma to carry the story, even when the script doesn’t fully support her.
On the flip side, Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen is a bit of a misfire. The character never quite lands—caught between sinister gravitas and campy theatricality, without fully committing to either. Gadot has presence, yes, but she lacks the menace or gleeful bite needed to make the Queen iconic again. It’s not bad, just… flat.
A tale as old as time, with a few new pages
What holds Snow White back is exactly what holds back so many of Disney’s remakes: a tension between reverence and reinvention. The film flirts with bold new directions but too often reins itself in, afraid to stray too far from the comfort of the original. You’re left wondering what it could have been if it leaned harder into the new.
Still, when Snow White is at its best—when it’s singing something new, when it’s letting itself be bright and strange and earnest—it reminds you why these fairy tales still matter. Not because they’re sacred, but because they’re alive. And stories that are alive deserve to grow.
Snow White might not be the fairest of them all, but it’s far from the disaster many expected. It’s colourful, tuneful, and occasionally enchanting—just not quite brave enough to become something truly special.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
