Snow White: A bad apple, or should I say rotten?  

When Gal Gadot and Rachel Zegler presented the award for best visual effects at the Academy Awards, they stated, “Visual effects push the boundaries of what we see on screen. Their work makes the impossible seem possible.” With breathtaking animations, they create magic that wraps its arms around our wildest imaginations.” They perfectly depicted their newest collaborative film, Snow White.  

Unfortunately, the animations were the only positive thing, as everything else went sour, including the storytelling and the acting.

Disney’s Snow White live-action film included moments of charm as the film took on a modern twist. However, the ending of the film was unexpected. As a longtime Disney fan who adored the original, I was really disappointed with the ending. It should have stopped right at the part where Snow White was saved by the prince. Instead, the remaining time was Snow White trying to stop the evil queen from taking over the village. I believe the writers and producers should have kept it authentic.  Many Disney live-action films follow the same storyline, and this one should have also followed suit. 

The original 1937 storyline is about an evil stepmother who is jealous of her stepdaughter’s beauty and compassion for others around her. The stepmother orders a hunter to murder the young woman. The attempt failed, so she disguises herself as an old lady and visits the old cottage that Snow White is staying at. She offers Snow White a poisoned apple, and, in an instant, Snow White falls ill. For her to wake up, she needs to be kissed by the prince, an act of true love.  

The new film’s center of attention is not on finding true love. Instead, it focuses on women and how they don’t need a man’s help to be independent. The new addition I really enjoyed was both parents making an appearance and being showcased during her childhood.  Although her mother died during her childhood and her father vanished into the woods without another trace, it’s a unique addition to the story, as Snow White’s family history was not the center of attention during the original film.  

The live-action narrative prioritizes family and community, which is also another unique addition to the plot. Snow White was persistent in finding the truth about what really happened to her father after he claimed to help people in their village. After her father’s disappearance, the wicked queen took charge and wanted to tear the village apart to feel a sensation of power and take over the kingdom.  

The moment I enjoyed most during the film was Snow White meeting the seven dwarfs. After being chased into the forest, she finds a quaint cottage to rest in. She is woken by the sounds of chatter from the dwarfs. She worked with them to tidy up the place; the scene was filled with humour, and the music brought happiness. More importantly, this further showcased Snow White’s characteristics as an individual: kindness and selflessness. She leads by example and is one of the individuals you want to run the village and care for its people. 

Without spoiling the ending, I can tell you that the film has good intentions, but it’s not the ending it deserved. Instead of your typical “finding true love moment,” its focal point is on women’s empowerment. With this, it builds an inclusive environment and shows younger women that they can achieve whatever they put their minds to.  

The singing in the film was a mixed bag. Rachel Zegler’s angelic and breathtaking voice while singing “Waiting on a Wish” at the castle was nothing but enchanting. Zegler took singing lessons during childhood, making her a wonderful choice for Snow White.  

However, Gal Gadot’s acting as the wicked queen had mixed reviews. Her singing of “All is Fair” felt strained, and her voice during some high-pitched parts felt forced. Her big ticket to the movie industry was when she secured a role in the 2017 film Wonder Woman. Perhaps it should have been somebody else playing the role of the Wicked Queen, someone with stronger vocals.  

The movie lost a huge amount to Disney. With the budget around $270 million, it only grossed $69 million domestically and $145 million globally during its opening weekend debut. The 1937 Snow White film cashed in more money than the live-action movie. The 1937 film had only a budget of $1.5 million, yet it grossed around $448 million domestically and internationally.  

The lead-up to the film’s release was troubled. The trailer was widely mocked on social media, and it didn’t help that comments made by Zegler in the days leading up to the release created a firestorm, not just for herself but also for her co-stars and producers. She criticized the movie for being “outdated” and mocked the love story.  

She was set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel and Drew Barrymore’s talk shows, but at the last moment, they scrapped her. Perhaps Disney realized that a microphone in front of her is not a good move. Shortly after her co-star, Gal Gadot, an Israeli and Jewish actor, posted the film trailer— a post that some on the Internet used as a focus point for expressing variously pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian views— Zegler herself waded into the political controversy by thanking people for viewing the trailer and also stating,  “Free Palestine.”  Instead of promoting their new film, the comments made during press releases turned into madness. It altered Disney’s plans, causing a ripple effect.  

But all that is outside of the film itself, so when I went to see the film myself, I was still excited and hopeful. 

And then I was disappointed.  

In the end, the film simply lacked heart and love. It lost its magic compared to the original. It wasn’t the trainwreck that social media might have led some to expect. It was basically fine. And its visual effects told an innovative story. But the changed storyline does not tell the classic tale that fans were hoping to see nearly a century later.  

And that was a huge letdown.  

Cover Image: Sarah Taylor