The new film Snow White is just another tiresome live‑action remake from Disney, riding on nostalgia with little to offer

Despite a reported 47% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and projections to earn over $100 million at the box office, most agree it misses the point of the original and feels like another cash grab from Disney.
The story opens with Snow White’s stepmother seizing the throne, which leads Rachel Ziegler’s Snow White to reflect on how their once close bond has turned into hatred, envy, and betrayal. The result is a messy collection of ideas with awkward political commentary and never-ending subplots.
Gal Gadot’s casting as the Evil Queen was meant to be the centerpiece, yet her performance is so underwritten and campy that it fails to inspire fear or intrigue. Critics have chalked her portrayal up to poor writing and direction, and even some fans consider it one of her weakest to date.
Worse still, Disney opted to render the Seven Dwarfs via jarring CGI instead of casting actors with dwarfism—a choice widely condemned as both regressive and creatively lazy. What should have been the film’s heart instead feels like an “uncanny valley” distraction.
Adding insult to injury, the cast has been mired in off‑screen controversy. Rachel Zegler’s on‑the‑record comments calling the original Prince a “literal stalker” and the fairy tale “outdated” ignited racist backlash online and conservative outrage before the film even hit theaters. Meanwhile, Gal Gadot’s political stance led Lebanon to ban the film, and Disney had to assign her bodyguards after reported death threats tied to co‑star Zegler’s pro‑Palestinian social‑media posts. Watching interviews promoting the movie often feels more alienating than compelling; they’re just out-of-touch actors trying to make it seem like they’re doing something important.
With the title of “original princess”, Snow White deserved more love and attention. The original movie was the first full-length feature animated film and made monumental progress in the world of cinema. The Snow White brand is a cornerstone in Disney history, and the remake should’ve honored that.
In the end, Snow White is yet another reminder that the magic of Disney is dying. If you crave the true magic of Snow White, revisit the 1937 animated classic—at least it still holds a piece of the enchanting wonder this bloated, controversy‑ridden live‑action fails to capture.