For the past few years, Disney has focused on making live-action versions of their classic animated pictures. Instead of producing more original pictures, they continue to provide lifeless experiences that sometimes disrespect the original. But money makes the world go round. And most of these pictures, if not all, have made tons of money at the Box Office. Audiences have generally enjoyed them too. Due to the staying power of Disney’s classics, nostalgia runs deep and helps keep these features afloat. The latest one to screen in cinemas is “Snow White,” directed by Marc Webb, who’s known for films like “500 Days of Summer” and “The Amazing Spider-Man”–adding a family musical to his weird yet eclectic list. To Webb and Disney’s benefit, this version tries to do something different to separate it from the troubling original, which has some story elements that haven’t aged well.
Unlike the rest of the live-action remakes that utilize a copy-and-paste procedure, writer Erin Cressida Wilson (and Greta Gerwig previously, as there have been many rewrites) wants to change the meaning behind “the fairest of them all.” In the 1937 animated picture, the quote meant and referred to beauty. Meanwhile, this new version is about being the most just, compassionate, and kind. Cressida Wilson highlights Snow White’s kindness, empathy, and courage, rather than just being a one-dimensional damsel in distress who needs a Prince Charming to save her. However, where “Snow White” primarily falters is the division between honoring the classic. The charm and magic that oozed from the lovely tunes like “Whistle While You Work” don’t blend well with the new elements brought to the table. The result is a mishmash of bungled-up ideas that, in unison, don’t work and feel haphazardly put together.
“The Classic Tale Comes to Life,” yet in a Hollow Canvas
“The classic tale comes to life,” as the tagline for the “Snow White” live-action remake says. Yet, it does come to life with a few changes. The first one arrives quite early in the film, as a narrator tells the story of a princess, Snow White (Rachel Zegler), who stood up to a villainous, power-hungry, beauty-obsessed evil queen (Gal Gadot). She was born during a snowstorm from the Good King (Hadley Fraser) and Queen (Lorena Andrea)—the kingdom’s rulers and settlers of peace. The three hold everything together through peace and harmony, where the community lives in closeness and joy. A dream come true, this was the life a young Snow White lived. Well… that’s until the Good Queen fell ill and passed away, leaving the father and daughter all alone. Yet they hold their heads high in her honor.
One day, a woman comes to the castle, bearing gifts and magic spells that charm the people and their king. The Good King was enamored by her almost immediately, so he married her. At first, it was all going well, and things looked promising. However, the woman started to show her true colors. All she ever wanted was power, jewels, and to be the “fairest of them all.” So, she sent away the king to a far-away place for a rescue mission, which the Good King never retired from. And, now being the Evil Queen, she seized control of everything. Snow White is locked away in the castle, never to see the light of day.
Many years later, Snow White is cast out of the kingdom after the Evil Queen tries to get her killed. She heads towards the woods and ends up in the house of the Seven Dwarves, whom Snow White helps to come together and figure out their differences without fighting or screaming at each other. These aren’t the only characters she helps get along and fight against tyranny. A group of scavengers, the Robin Hood-type, also hold the king’s name near their hearts. They are new additions ot the story. The scavengers are meant to highlight how one can use their power to unfetter and empower others. To a certain point, it is interesting how these scavengers are handled. At first, they are treated with a sense of seriousness, yet with a touch of adventurousness.
Rachel Zegler Shines, While the Rest Crumbles
Later on, the scabengers are mainly used for jokes and gags, which removes the few intriguing aspects they had. This addition is one of the attempts to distance this new version of “Snow White” from the 1937 one. Rather than a bland, nothing in Prince Charming, there’s Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who has, at its core, an identity of its own. This character has a vital role in the film. But there is a chance that the scavengers might have been lost amidst the many rewrites this remake has had. This is noticeable during the hasty, vague interactions Snow White has with them. And when you compare these scenes with those of the Seven Dwarves, which the film makes some changes to but forgets about immediately after, it feels completely lacking.
In doing something different while tipping the hat to the original, Webb and the screenwriters leave every character, except Show White, underdeveloped and without much to do, narrative and performance-wise. And even if they were developed thoroughly, the actors deliver very bland, unemotive performances, particularly Gal Gadot. The past me would have spent two to three paragraphs talking about how bad Gadot’s performance is in “Snow White”–to the point where even standing on-screen looks difficult for her. And every review of this film has had a segment dedicated to the actress and her lack of acting chops, becoming a competition on who can say the worst thing possible. But I will say that every time she appears on screen, the film is ripped out of its charm, charisma, and magic.
Rachel Zegler, on the other hand, is spectacular. From her fantastic singing to her ability to brighten the dull-looking sets, this “Snow White” remake does not deserve Zegler. She is too good for a film with a significant identity crisis. From the get-go, the viewer notices how Zegler has that charm that fits perfectly with being a Disney princess. Zegler gives the film the life it needs to stay alive. But it is never enough. Like many of its contemporaries in the past couple of years, this live-action lacks vivacity on and off the camera, except for Zegler. And the moments she isn’t on-screen, or when she’s sidelined, are entirely unenjoyable because they miss her spark. Zegler is a promising actress with a long career ahead of her, but a film like “Snow White” does not warrant her charm and acting capabilities.
