Rachel Zegler shines as the live-action version of Disney's first princess. Snow White captures the magical feel of the fairytale while adding to it in a way that never feels at odds with the original's intent.
Snow White Review
Growing up on the Disney catalogue I have seen every animated film, some more than once. The original Lion King? Yeah I wore out that VHS tape. Snow White was never my favorite princess – Ariel, Belle, and later Rapunzel share that title – but I didn't dislike her either. She was a heroine who taught us about kindness, gentleness, and being understanding. She also talked to animals and had seven best friends with very distinct personalities, what's not to like? When the live-action remake was announced I wasn't one of those who grabbed their pitchfork, after all Snow was the original princess who maybe should've been the first one to get this big screen treatment. I only became slightly worried when it seemed as if she would be turned into some warrior woman and some of the casting choices (and no I'm not talking about Zegler). I'm happy to report this version of Snow White remains true to the original's traits with Zegler shining as Disney's princess that started it all.
Snow White captures the magic and beauty of the original animated classic. It adds to Snow White's story and adjusts a few other aspects in order to forge its own path through the forest but it never loses sight of what made this film special to begin with. The world crafted here feels like a storybook come to life, in many ways more so than the other live-action princess offerings. Even the new songs, penned by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, elevate the story (with one exception) including adding some fun additional lyrics to fan favorites. Zegler is Snow White, embodying her gentleness and playful attitude. And for all the concern that she was storming the castle and becoming Mulan 2.0, Snow White conquers her enemy with the weapon she has had all along: her kind, resilient spirit.
After her father dies, Snow White (Zegler) is forced to work as a servant in the castle while her stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) lords over her and all the people of the kingdom. One day she helps Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), a thief, escape his punishment for stealing food to help those in need. That doesn't sit well with her stepmother who delights in being cruel. When the Magic Mirror (Patrick Page) proclaims Snow White to be the fairest of them all, the Evil Queen sends the Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) out into the woods with the princess to kill her. Instead he spares her life and she runs away, meeting 7 unlikely new friends and reuniting with Jonathan. Together they try to come up with a plan to rid the kingdom of Snow's stepmother and bring hope back to the people.
Zegler gives one of her best performances yet as Snow White, transforming into the well known princess and channeling her original actress while also bringing her own charisma and flair to the role. Snow White is strong but kind, pure-of-heart, the embodiment of the fairest of them all. Vocally she stuns but that should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched her perform. Although missing “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” Zegler gets a new ballad, but don't worry happily ever after loving fans. There is a love song with her and her new not-Prince Jonathan. Poor Florian he's been replaced by a Robin Hood meets Flynn Ryder kind of knight in shining armor. Despite the shift from Prince to Pauper, Jonathan and Snow White have that instant chemistry that starts out with exasperation and ends with true love's kiss. I'm also happy to report that there are no weird consent song lyrics added in (looking at you The Little Mermaid).
From the moment the storybook opens until it closes, Snow White transports you into a magical world where anything feels possible. In many ways it reminded me of The Wizard Oz in terms of how fantastical yet real everything appeared. But it also emulates the artistic choices that made Show White and the Seven Dwarfs a film that captured the attention of the world. There is a warmth surrounding Snow White, that is reflected not only in the softness of the lights but also in the environments she finds herself in. Even when things seem bleak or scary, Snow radiates with it. The forest is teaming with life, all the animals are CGI but not only do they look great they emote as they should. Little side eyes, shrugs, and waves will make even the grumpiest in the audience smile.
Speaking of effects, one of the things I was not a fan of was the choice to use CGI to bring the dwarfs to life. They looked fine, no uncanny valley craziness and the voice acting matched their well-known traits. But I still think it would have been better to have actual actors play these characters. The other downside to this film is Gadot as the Evil Queen. Her song (yes she has one this time) is the least memorable and will never make it into the upper echelon of Disney villain numbers. The worst part though is her stiff acting. She's never been the best at emoting in my opinion and it becomes ever more evident when she is sharing scenes with Zegler who runs circles around her in terms of performance. Gadot was miscast, unable to give us the true camp needed to be a villain in the Disney universe. It would have been amazing to see Lana Parrilla reprise the role from Once Upon A Time.
Verdict
Ultimately, Snow White is a magical story full of something the world needs now more than ever– hope and kindness. The original film, a marvel for its time that still wows animation lovers to this day, did not have a lot of depth to its story or its characters. But this live-action re-imagining gives our heroine more to do and say without compromising her or making her into someone she is not. Rachel Zegler is Snow White, honoring Adriana Caselotti while adding her own touches to the character. The only things that feel out of place are the CGI dwarfs and the Evil Queen. But as I found myself singing along to Heigh-Ho and hearing the young ones in the audience giggle and clap, none of that really mattered. This is a film that the whole family can enjoy together and will introduce a new generation to the Disney princess that started it all.
Snow White is in theaters March 21. It is rated PG for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor with a runtime of 109 minutes.
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