Snow White Movie Review: Sweet, but doesnt sweep you off your feet
Snow White Movie Review: Critics Rating: 3.0 stars, click to give your rating/review,2025's 'Snow White' makes a few changes to the original Grimm Brothers fairy tale.
Critic's Rating: 3.0/5
Story: Based on the classic fairy tale, 'Snow White' is the live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney animation film.
Review: In 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first full-length animation film to be released. And in its 21st century adaptation, 2025's 'Snow White' makes a few changes to the original Grimm Brothers fairy tale. 'Snow White' gets her name from being born during a snowstorm and lives the idyllic princess life, with her parents, the king (Hadley Fraser) and queen (Lorena Andrea). But their happiness is cut short, when the queen dies of an illness. Enter Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who charms the king and marries him. Soon, she convinces him to go off on a battle and he never returns. Snow White (Rachel Zegler) is relegated to lower floors of the palace and is made to do cleaning chores.
And owing to not being seen in public for years, the people almost forget she exists. That is until a bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) barges into one of the cellars she is cleaning, to steal some food. Hearing about the plight of the people in her kingdom, she realises she too had forgotten she is a princess and that she needs to find her voice for their sake. But 'Evil Queen' has other plans. Along with her magic mirror (voiced by Patrick Page), which reassures her continually that she is the 'fairest of them all', she keeps using her beauty to manipulate those around her and continue her reign and tyranny. Until the magic mirror announces it is Snow White who is fairer than her.
Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer, Gifted) and screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson do away with the prince in their version of 'Snow White'. Instead, there is Jonathan, who is the leader of a group of bandits that operate from the forest (very reminiscent of Robinhood) and fight in the name of the king. To drive home the point, he even quips, "I am not your knight in shining armour" and follows it up with "princesses are either waiting for a prince to save them or a king to return". That said, he does his bit to fit into the mould of Snow White's love interest and staunch supporter. And along with the seven dwarfs (live action), they make a formidable team to confront the Evil Queen. 2025's Snow White is filled with purpose and determination to help her people and save them from the queen's evil clutches and bravely takes on that challenge. And beauty, as the magic mirror puts it, runs skin deep. 'Fair' refers to being a fair leader. Of course, the poisoned apple plays its part in the climax.
As a musical, 'Snow White' retains some of the popular songs from the 1937 film, Heigh Ho and Whistle While You Work and adds in some new peppy songs (Benj Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) like Gal Gadot's evil rendition of All is Fair and Rachel Zegler and Andrew Burnap's Princess Problems. The songs keep the pace lively and upbeat in an otherwise placid film. Visually 'Snow White' is pretty and pleasant with picturesque vistas of the deep forests but never quite spectacular. Among the main actors, Rachel Zegler as Snow White does well - sincere, sweet and determined - as her role demands. Gal Gadot channels her wicked vibe effectively, though in parts is over the top, complemented with her costumes and headgear.
In its 21st century adaptation, 'Snow White' updates itself to show that a princess doesn't need a knight in shining armour but at the same time, it doesn't quite manage to sweep you off your feet.
Review: In 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first full-length animation film to be released. And in its 21st century adaptation, 2025's 'Snow White' makes a few changes to the original Grimm Brothers fairy tale. 'Snow White' gets her name from being born during a snowstorm and lives the idyllic princess life, with her parents, the king (Hadley Fraser) and queen (Lorena Andrea). But their happiness is cut short, when the queen dies of an illness. Enter Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who charms the king and marries him. Soon, she convinces him to go off on a battle and he never returns. Snow White (Rachel Zegler) is relegated to lower floors of the palace and is made to do cleaning chores.
And owing to not being seen in public for years, the people almost forget she exists. That is until a bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) barges into one of the cellars she is cleaning, to steal some food. Hearing about the plight of the people in her kingdom, she realises she too had forgotten she is a princess and that she needs to find her voice for their sake. But 'Evil Queen' has other plans. Along with her magic mirror (voiced by Patrick Page), which reassures her continually that she is the 'fairest of them all', she keeps using her beauty to manipulate those around her and continue her reign and tyranny. Until the magic mirror announces it is Snow White who is fairer than her.
Director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer, Gifted) and screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson do away with the prince in their version of 'Snow White'. Instead, there is Jonathan, who is the leader of a group of bandits that operate from the forest (very reminiscent of Robinhood) and fight in the name of the king. To drive home the point, he even quips, "I am not your knight in shining armour" and follows it up with "princesses are either waiting for a prince to save them or a king to return". That said, he does his bit to fit into the mould of Snow White's love interest and staunch supporter. And along with the seven dwarfs (live action), they make a formidable team to confront the Evil Queen. 2025's Snow White is filled with purpose and determination to help her people and save them from the queen's evil clutches and bravely takes on that challenge. And beauty, as the magic mirror puts it, runs skin deep. 'Fair' refers to being a fair leader. Of course, the poisoned apple plays its part in the climax.
As a musical, 'Snow White' retains some of the popular songs from the 1937 film, Heigh Ho and Whistle While You Work and adds in some new peppy songs (Benj Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) like Gal Gadot's evil rendition of All is Fair and Rachel Zegler and Andrew Burnap's Princess Problems. The songs keep the pace lively and upbeat in an otherwise placid film. Visually 'Snow White' is pretty and pleasant with picturesque vistas of the deep forests but never quite spectacular. Among the main actors, Rachel Zegler as Snow White does well - sincere, sweet and determined - as her role demands. Gal Gadot channels her wicked vibe effectively, though in parts is over the top, complemented with her costumes and headgear.
In its 21st century adaptation, 'Snow White' updates itself to show that a princess doesn't need a knight in shining armour but at the same time, it doesn't quite manage to sweep you off your feet.
