SNOW WHITE

US, 2025, 109 minutes, Colour.

Rachel Ziegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnham.

Directed by Marc Webb.

In 1937 and over the decades, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has been seen by millions of people, a part of cinema history, important for the heritage of Walt Disney and the Disney studios.

In recent times, Disney has been remaking its animated films as live-action, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid… And, now, Snow White.

Audiences have generally enjoyed the live-action remakes. Critics have not been so kind. Snow White has come with the burden of controversies, a Latina actress cast as Snow White, the reimagining of the Seven Dwarfs and disability without the word dwarf being mentioned. Criticisms of old ideas of the woman in peril rescued by the charming hero…

With all this pre-release burden, Snow White Was not successful at the box office on release. And, it became the victim of some vicious trolls, raising the question of why these trolls actually went to see the film, venting their spleen with sarcasms and blunt attacks.

Which is a prelude to saying that this reviewer actually enjoyed it! It certainly is colourful, reminding us of the original film and its derivation from the story by the Brothers Grimm, presented as a musical, quite a lot of catchy popular songs, and, happily, incorporating two of the most catchy classic songs from the original film, Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it’s off to work we go as well as Whistle While you Work. (With the storyline, the songs old and new, a great deal of vigorous  choreography and dancing, it would seem that the film is already ready to be transferred to theatre as a Broadway musical.)

Rachel Zegler (Maria in Spielberg West Side Story) has a strong singing voice, reminds us of the original Snow White, though sometimes a little more forceful. Gal Gadot, in quite a change from Wonder Woman, relishes her evil character, often narcissistically interrogating the mirror on the wall as to who is the fairest of them all.

Some complaints about the Seven Dwarfs, and not referring to them as dwarfs, and the realism question of their going off to work, whistling, in the mines – to what purpose? But, that seems ab unreasonable questioning of what it is a fairytale.

The CGI for the  seven, is quite effective, their faces resembling the actors who voice them, entertaining voices, Grizzly imposing himself all the time, And Doc with overtones of academia, and Dopey, Snow White teaching him to whistle, and his eventually speaking.

Andrew Burnham is Jonathan, the head of the rebels against the malevolent Queen, living in the forest like Robin Hood, wary in his initial encounter with Snow White, not recognising her as the Princess, but, becoming the romantic hero.

Yes, there are the controversies, the questioning of Disney’s live-action remakes – but, for fthose able to make a suspension of disbelief, an enjpyable entertainment.

1. The popularity of the original film, the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the elements of fairy tale, the equivalent Princess and Prince, the evil queen, the happy kingdom, the oppressed kingdom, the vanity of the Queen, rivalry, expelling Snow White, the poisoned apple and the disguise as the crone, the happy ending?
2. Disney live-action remakes, audience responses, critics’ responses? (And the controversies for this film about the casting of Rachel Zegler, the presentation of the Seven Dwarfs…?)
3. The remake of the original for the 21^st-century audience, places of women, men, relationships, romances and love stories?
4. The screenplay, songs and their places, the range of choreography, the dialogue, humour, potential tragedy, the defeat of the Queen? Already ready for transfer as a stage musical?
5. The opening, the King and the Queen, their daughter, the happiness in the kingdom, population, the songs and dances? The King, the death of his wife, the encounter with the beguiling woman, marrying her, her becoming Queen, his disappearance and death, Snow White and her working with domestic chores, the years passing, her forgetting her role as a Princess?
6. The Queen, her presence, black clothing, the mirror, the voice, her wanting the flattery? Her rule of the kingdom, oppression?
7. Jonathan, leading the rebels, the rowdy mixed-race group? His stealing the potatoes, caught by Snow White, his reactions, his being caught, in prison, Snow White’s visit, freeing him?
8. The guards, the leader of the guards, the revelation that they were farmers in the past, the final confrontation and mellowing, their wives and family happy? Including the leader of the guards?
9. The mirror, Snow White as fairest, the reaction of the Queen, getting the Huntsman, going out into the forest, his inability to kill Snow White, her escape?
10. In the forest, the arrival of the seven, audience memories of the Seven Dwarfs, their names, characteristics, the CGI, their faces, their voices, the interactions? Doc and his intellectual talk, the complaints from Grizzly, Happy being happy, Sleepy dozing, the encounter with Dopey, not talking, Snow White teaching him how to whistle? And the reprising of their popular songs?
11. The Queen, her vengeance, the apple, the poison, her transformation, going into the forest, the meeting with Snow White, her false story, friendship, persuading Snow White to eat the apple?
12. Jonathan, his band, the encounters with Snow White, the attraction, the happy sequences together? The dangers and adventures in the forest? The pursuit of the guards?
13. Snow White, collapse, seemingly dead, Jonathan escaping with the Huntsman, coming, the grief of the Seven, all thinking Snow White was dead, the Queen’s potion including a kiss from someone with true love, the kiss and Snow White’s revival?
14. Snow White, the solution, the return to the city, with the people, the confrontation with the Queen, the guards relenting, the confrontation with the Queen?
15. The finale of the Queen, the mirror, her being consumed by the Black, by the mirror?
16. Everything restored, the happy population, Snow White and Jonathan…