On March 21st, Disney’s live-action Snow White was released in theaters, more than 87 years after the release of the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This modernized remake lacked the charm of the classic Disney princess movie.
The general quality of the live-action is much worse than the 1937 cartoon. The seven dwarves are completely CGI, most of the backgrounds look AI-generated, and the over-the-top screen effects during some scenes feel tacky. The new Snow White stars Rachel Zegler. Although she is by far the best actor in the movie, she doesn’t show the same skill here that she has exemplified in her other popular movies.
The overall plot follows a young princess fighting against the tyranny of her stepmother, the Evil Queen. It kept most of the major aspects the same, like the poison apple and the seven dwarves, but changed some things to project different themes. The modern movie gave a lot more backstory about Snow White’s parents, which emphasized the virtuousness that she represented. This change was one of few good ones made, as it teaches a good lesson to kids watching. It also conveys a message of acceptance by focusing on how Snow White empowered Dopey to be more self-confident.
Although many people didn’t want the beloved original film to be messed with, some controversial details needed to be changed from the outdated, old-fashioned movie. For example, in the 1937 classic, Snow White is fourteen years old, while the prince that she falls in love with is thirty-one. The remake’s solution to this problem was to replace Prince Charming with an age-appropriate rebel named Jonathan. Their love story unfolds over just a few cringe-worthy scenes. Disney easily could have changed the age of Prince Charming without losing the prince aspect. While this romance is more socially acceptable by today’s standards, it lacks the enchantment of Snow White’s original relationship with the prince.
This new musical differs a lot from the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with its songs. The only songs that remained from the original movie are “Heigh-Ho,” “Whistle While You Work,” and “The Silly Song.” Even in these few songs, the lyrics differ quite a bit from the original ones. Many people were disappointed that “Some Day My Prince Will Come” was left out of the 2025 movie because it no longer fit with the plot. Plenty of new songs were added, which strayed from the charming spirit of the originals. Almost none of the musical scenes were enjoyable to watch because of the over-the-top acting and singing.
Although the new 2025 movie wasn’t a complete failure and had made some necessary changes, it’s not even close to living up to the original. The classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was the first Disney princess movie to ever be released, will always reign supreme to any remake.
