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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nDisney\u2019s \u201cSnow White\u201d is the latest live-action remake of one of the studio\u2019s animated classics. In this case, it\u2019s perhaps the biggest \u201cclassic\u201d of all, as 1937\u2019s \u201cSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs\u201d was the first full-length animated feature in American history, and in 2008 was named the greatest animated film of all time by the American Film Institute. The film\u2019s historical significance is undeniable, but frankly I don\u2019t think it holds up as entertainment. Advancements in both animation and sound recording technology have left that movie in the dust, not to mention that Disney writes their princesses with more complexity these days. So maybe a remake that smooths out some of the rougher edges of the past isn\u2019t a terrible idea. But this movie goes in some directions that are definitely a terrible idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The story of course hits all the familiar beats. Princess Snow White (Rachel Zegler) is the stepdaughter of the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), who seized control of her kingdom with underhanded tactics. The queen seeks constant validation of her beauty from a Magic Mirror (Patrick Page), until one day when the mirror declares Snow White to be \u201cfairer\u201d than she. The queen freaks out and orders her Huntsman (Ansu Kabia) to take Snow White into the woods and eliminate her. The Huntsman instead affords Snow White the opportunity to escape, and she flees deep into the woods, where she stumbles upon the home of (and I\u2019ll use the Disney spelling) The Seven Dwarfs. She becomes an ally to miners Sneezy, Sleepy, Happy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc, and Bashful, and she helps them straighten up their cottage as she tries to figure out what to do next. Perhaps the answer lies with the band of loveable bandits led by the charismatic Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) on the outskirts of the woods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike other Disney remakes (looking at you, \u201cLion King\u201d), there are some strong deviations here from the original film. Zegler\u2019s Snow White cares deeply about the kingdom\u2019s subjects, and we see her pay attention to their stories and needs whenever possible. She takes a more active role in overthrowing the queen, and the third act will be unrecognizable to anyone with the original ending stuck in their heads. There are even new songs, with Zegler\u2019s \u201cWaiting on a Wish\u201d fitting seamlessly into the Disney songbook along other female empowerment anthems like \u201cLet It Go.\u201d The queen herself gets a song, and Gadot wickedly chews the scenery with \u201cAll Is Fair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The film pulls my opinion in two opposite directions. On one hand, there\u2019s Zegler\u2019s performance as Snow White, bringing much-needed life and passion to a character that had previously been dismissed as one of the more useless waifs in the Disney catalogue. I\u2019ll also throw a compliment toward Burnap, playing a better-developed love interest than the unbranded, uninspired prince from 1937. I have to recommend the film based on these elements, right? But then there are the dwarfs. These hideous CGI monstrosities from the depths of the uncanny valley are offensive, not just in the sense that actual dwarf actors could have been cast in these parts (six of the seven voice actors are not dwarves), but offensive to anyone with working eyes. I can\u2019t recommend the film based on these elements, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m going to give \u201cSnow White\u201d the mildest of recommendations just because my expectations were so low going in. There\u2019s been no end of bad publicity surrounding the races, heights, and political stances of the film\u2019s cast, and these live-action remakes have a sour reputation for being lazy retreads of beloved animated properties. I was ready to declare this movie the worst of 2025. Instead I got a valiant, vibrant adaptation that I would sooner watch again for entertainment than the 1937 version. It isn\u2019t perfect, and I completely understand why someone would consider the dwarfs to be deal-breakers for the entire film. But thanks mostly to Zegler, I saw enough Disney magic in the film to give it a pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grade: B-<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSnow White\u201d is rated PG for violence, some peril, thematic elements and brief rude humor. Its running time is 109 minutes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Bob Garver Disney\u2019s \u201cSnow White\u201d is the latest live-action remake of one of the studio\u2019s animated classics. In this case, it\u2019s perhaps the biggest \u201cclassic\u201d of all, as… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":60634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60633"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60633"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60635,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60633\/revisions\/60635"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelehighacresgazette.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}