Snow White (2025) – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Snow White (2025) – Princess of Charm / Queen of Vanity … It’s a Fairytale

From story to concept, the journey into an escape becomes a grip of our own perspective.  In film, adapting a story is daunting, but it is one where completion can get lost in translation.  Adaptations are about capturing the essence of the tale, making you feel newness in the original concept.  For better or worse, if there is no emotion … sometimes it doesn’t prevail.  In this review, I look at the latest live action remake from Disney.  In a tale that is the epitome of fairytales, we embark on an escape of familiarity.  Even if there is some lack thereof feelings, Snow White is a fun retelling of the classic tale.

In a tale of magic and fantasy, a princess will go to the ends of the world to free her kingdom from the grips of her evil stepmother.  In telling a tale, what becomes prudent is a matter of character and escape.  For the filmmakers, do you make the characters stand out enough where (even in adaptations) they can feel true onus in the escape.  In the beginning, we get a voice-over narration that gives us a bit of background on the kingdom and the early days of Snow White (Rachel Zegler).  Through the general prologue, we learn about how the great kingdom fell from good to bad, and how Snow White became a servant to her stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot).  From this prologue, we head into a first act that becomes a linear throughline of general conversations, musical moments and heavy foreshadowing.   Through its clichés and character antics, what drives emotional reverie is the innocent charm of Snow White.  Her brass but hopeful mantra becomes a thorn in the Evil Queen’s rule, driving a subtle brewing conflict to the typical nature of the concept.  As her life is threatened, we head through a series of scenes that set up familiar aspects of the fairy tale; Snow White heading off into the forest to escape the Evil Queen.  From here, we head into a second act that propels through an escape of familiarity but wonderous moments.  In the forest, the journey weaves through the aspect that drives colorful mantra into intrigue, a capture of the original while providing a spin of delight within the ‘live action’ concept.  Here, we lean into the hopeful charm of Snow White, especially when she interacts with two different groups (the 7 Dwarfs and the bandits).  It is here where the adaptation takes a turn for ‘providing its own footing’ while staying true to the ‘essence’ of the original.  You get a layer of human zeal and musical moments that provide an infusion of delightful scenes.  Even if there are obvious plot points at play, it is the subtle charm of our lead that provides the levity in this live-action retelling. 

With a new path on the horizon, the journey begins to weave through the alluring conflict of Snow White vs. the Evil Queen.  The weaving of predictable moments in a sleuth of newness adds a dynamic of intrigue, but one where the ‘foreshadowing’ still wanes with obvious detail.  As the filmmaker’s juggle between originality and adaptation, we get emotional moments in the familiar plot points of the animated tale (old lady, the apple, the ‘kiss’ to wake the princess).  With everything at play, we head into a third act that drives forward genuine emotional rapture of a fulfilled climax and enjoyable epilogue.  Snow White is a live-action remake of whimsical charm in the familiar.  If you are a fan of fairy tales, go check it out.  Even if you have trepidation, I think there is enough to enjoy for the right price.

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)