Rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
One of the most discussed films of the year (not for the right reasons) is finally upon us. Disney’s “Snow White” remake follows a similar template as the original with some modern twists. After her father disappears, a young princess is beholden to the rule of an Evil Queen. After the queen’s jealousy becomes too much, Snow White is expelled from the kingdom. She meets a group of dwarves in the woods where she finds peace and shelter. After forming a bond with the dwarves, Snow White must return to her kingdom and liberate her people from the Queen’s rule.
Positives:
Where do I begin with coverage for this one? I’ll start by saying that this isn’t nearly the trainwreck it could have been. In fact, after being reworked to fit more of the “traditional” story, I think “Snow White” is a fair effort. The film begins on a strong note, featuring some fresh songs and a nice introduction to this version of the character. We see that Snow White is driven by the kindness and fairness instilled by her parents. This helps us understand the character’s perspective as she moves forward in the film. Her kindness and willingness to help others is on full display when she meets the dwarves. She helps them learn to get along better and create some order in their daily routines. This change is one that pays off and feels fitting for a modern version of Snow White. The film is also filled with lots of cute animated animals that younger audiences will surely enjoy.
To my surprise, the best part of “Snow White” is the music. Unfortunately, many of the original songs are scrapped for new jingles to fit this modern retelling. But most of the new songs are quite catchy! I found myself enjoying the fresh tunes and their addition to the story. The dance sequences featured with the songs are well choreographed too. Rachel Zeglar does a nice job leading most of these musical numbers, showcasing her talent for musicals and broadway. I was worried that the removal of the old songs would come at a cost, but thankfully most of the new songs do the film justice. I wouldn’t say there’s a standout performance but most of the cast does a nice job in their respective roles.
I’ll also credit Disney for making some necessary adjustments to make sure the film wouldn’t be too pointed. Many were concerned that the changes would be so drastic that the film would be largely agenda based, forgetting to tell a good story in the process. Luckily, the film’s inclusion of the dwarves makes the story feel more like the original. If they just kept the bandits as the new dwarves (as originally intended) the story would have been much worse. I believe the changes made in the final version combined with salvaging other elements of the original story make for a watchable film that younger audiences will enjoy.
Negatives:
Oh boy, the section most are probably anticipating the most, ha! I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much from the film, but it was better than it could have been. I don’t believe most of the hate for the film itself is warranted. The negative publicity from Rachel Zeglar, Peter Dinklage, and others? Well…that’s on them. It ends up being a safe, largely inoffensive film that fits right in the middle of Disney’s live action remakes. This is a case where lots of people are going to be upset no matter what happened with the production. Purists of the original film are going to think there are too many changes while those wanting a bolder retelling will also be disappointed. With the vitriol and negative publicity the film received for years leading up to its release…I believe most audiences will see the film, have a middling experience, and move on with their lives. It doesn’t reach the heights of the “Jungle Book” remake but avoids the dumpster fire status of the “Aladdin” remake. I didn’t leave feeling too strong one way or another. This was a middle of the road effort that feels like it was made just to keep an IP going.
The largest change to the story that bothered me was the bandits storyline. Because Disney spent so much money on this direction originally, they couldn’t completely remove them. Their inclusion in the story is completely pointless as most of them don’t even have a line in the film. Andrew Burnap’s Jonathan is the only bandit that feels relevant to the story. If Disney simply stuck to the source material and casted Burnap as the prince, this bandits problem could have been avoided. It’s evident where Disney was originally going with the story, where removing the dwarves and the prince angle for cultural sensitivity was the goal. Despite Disney’s best efforts, the film feels a bit unfocused in direction, where the CG dwarves were added later to avoid backlash. Some seem to be criticizing the dwarves for being scary looking but I thought they were fine. I’d rather have them than the bandits!
Gal Gatot is also receiving backlash for her performance. While I believe a different casting could have benefitted the Queen’s portrayal, I don’t think she does a bad job. She brings a campy nature to the role, which is a departure from the original portrayal. This is less on Gadot but more on the director for having her embody the queen in this way. My largest problem with the cast was actually with Rachel Zeglar. While her singing abilities are undeniable, her strange facial expressions were distracting. It’s evident her strengths lie in broadway performing rather than film. It seemed more like she was acting as the character on stage rather than truly embodying her characteristics.
Conclusion:
Disney’s “Snow White” has dealt with a lot of negative press over the past few years. While some of it is warranted, the final product is actually okay. I enjoyed it more than expected, being pleased with the musical numbers and new direction of the story. Audiences will have a good time tapping their feet to the music and revisiting the classic material. But the jarring story directions are evident due to the reshoots and restructuring of the story. I wish Disney found a better balance at modernizing the story while keeping the DNA of the original intact. Because they tried to be “socially conscious” in the original direction, their pivots aren’t enough to fully salvage the final product. Perhaps they can take this as a lesson in making sure their actors don’t fly off the handle in interviews and focus on highlighting the reasons to give their remake a chance. Producing a winning product will always create better returns than changing the material to insert socially conscious messages. Families will enjoy the final product but I doubt it will leave a lasting impact like the original did. Check it out at matinee price or wait for Disney+. While “Snow White” isn’t the fairest of them all, it’s just…fair?
