“Snow White,” directed by Marc Webb, hit the theaters on March 21 with a bang. As a refreshing, modern retelling of the classic Disney story of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” from 1937, audiences filled their seats with anticipation of a new look on a classic tale. As a long-time Disney fan and moviegoer, I had high hopes for the CGI, modernized plot and vocal talent showcased in this adaptation. Starring Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot and Andrew Burnap, “Snow White” explored what it means to step into your power and to be the change you wish to see.
The film follows Snow White (Rachel Zegler), a princess of a broken kingdom that has lost its values of kindness and care from long ago. The Evil Queen (Gal Gadot), Snow White’s stepmother, sends a huntsman to kill Snow White in the forest, for her never to be seen again. Snow White finds herself fleeing from the danger sent by her stepmother and hides away in the cottage housed by the messy and complicated Seven Dwarfs. Snow White steps up as a leader in the woodland cottage and teaches the Dwarfs to work together. Snow White must learn how to become a leader and remind her kingdom of their core values. With the help of runaway bandit Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) and his team, Snow White begins her journey to learn how to step into her late father’s role. She starts to figure out how she can rule with kindness, fearlessness, bravery and truth. This rendition of the classic story of Snow White sheds new light on this historically problematic tale, giving it a new legacy to be carried into the future.
Rachel Zegler as Snow White blew me away, with her incredible vocals, brilliant acting and her ability to step into the light of a princess like Snow White. Within the last few years, I’ve watched Zegler take her talent and opportunities to shine in the spotlight, especially when given the chance to show off her stunning voice. Andrew Burnap was also a brilliant casting decision for the role of Jonathan. Taking on the role of the love interest to Snow White, he was not only charming but also dynamic and captivating in portraying his character. Gal Gadot was powerful and truly a believable Evil Queen, but her vocal abilities fell flat in this film. She was compelling and expressive in her dramatic scenes opposing Zegler and interacting with her magic mirror but seemed to struggle with her songs. I could have done without her vocal performances and thought leaving her in a non-singing role would be a smarter choice.
The soundtrack of this film was fantastic. I loved the addition of new songs that gave more depth and insight into the characters, especially the dreams and desires of Snow White. My favorite performance of the film was Zegler’s performance of “Waiting on a Wish.” With her showstopping vocal range and the writer’s thoughtful lyrics, this song was the perfect addition as a classic “I want” song in any Disney film. I also loved the song between Snow White and Jonathan “A Hand Meets a Hand.” The song had emotional and delicate performances from Burnap and Zegler to show their characters’ love and desire for one another as their journey together progresses. My favorite song recreated for this adaptation was “Whistle While You Work.” The song was energetic and fun while showing the audience the first glance of Snow White stepping into her leadership position after fleeing to the forest. There are some songs I could have done without, such as “Princess Problems” and “All is Fair,” which felt like last-minute additions that didn’t add any depth to the story or blow me away as a listener.
One of the most controversial topics in the making of this film was the use of CGI technology. Throughout the film, CGI was used to create beautiful scenes and images with animals and nature surrounding Snow White as she explores the forest. The only letdown for me was the use of CGI to create the Dwarfs. Because it’s a live-action film, I wouldn’t have expected the Dwarfs, who are a key part of the story, to look so animated and fake. The world of the real actors mixed with the world of the computerized Dwarfs didn’t align and meet where I wished they would. While the use of this technology was impressive and immersive, I wish they would have cast real actors to play these parts, rather than creating them with CGI. This would have blended the cinematography better and given more opportunities for different performers.
My favorite part of the cinematography and direction in this film was the use of color. At the beginning of the story, the world is bright. The spirits are high of the people in Snow White’s kingdom, and their costumes and land showcase that in warm, colorful, and sunny decorations and costumes. When power is taken by the Evil Queen, the world looks cold and colorless. It creates a feeling of sadness as if a dark cloud sits upon the kingdom. They’ve lost all sense of kindness and joy, and the cinematography reflects those emotions of the community. As Snow White travels through the forest and her kingdom, she wears vibrant and striking colors, as if she were the ray of light the kingdom needs.
“Snow White” is one of the more fun, vibrant, fantastical storybook films I’ve seen in a long time. It is filled with positive messages, eye-candy visuals, brilliant talent and powerful music. I enjoyed watching this story reimagined most refreshingly. I loved seeing this outdated tale be changed for the better to fit more modern ideas and show Snow White as a powerful role model to young audiences watching. I would recommend this film to anyone who is a Disney lover, longs to see women in leadership roles and enjoys a classic fairytale.
“Snow White:” ★★★★☆
