Can Disney’s ‘Snow White’ heal your inner child?

Zegler’s portrayal of the titular character was fun, capturing Snow White’s pure-hearted yet naive nature. Her powerful vocals convinced me that she was her character, and seeing her don Snow White’s signature dress only reinforced that. In contrast, Gadot’s performance, to say the least, was lacklustre. She did not bear the commanding presence the Evil Queen is supposed to have and her singing voice is not up to par. She certainly looks like her character, but the delivery of most of her lines felt soulless and non-intimidating that I had to silence my laughter at times—a severe miscast for Disney.

The casting was honestly saved by Burnap’s performance of Jonathan—a rebel rogue and Snow White’s love interest. This change from Prince Charming was welcome, giving him a Flynn Rider feel from Tangled (2010). His delivery of witty remarks, charismatic presence, and dynamic interactions with Snow White made the audience love him the most.

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I was particularly excited to see the dwarfs, and the moment they showed up on screen, I was disappointed with their design. Made with complete CGI (computer-generated imagery), there was something off about how they looked. Considering that this film is live-action, I would’ve loved to see practical effects such as forced perspective, like how they did in The Lord of the Rings. It has to be mentioned, though, Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work were great respites amidst the flaws.

Another glaring change from the original is the shift of Grumpy’s touching story arc to Dopey. In the 1937 film, Grumpy is given a chance to warm up to Snow White through their interactions, and it was beautiful to see the two eventually get along. While the 2025 film also has this eventuality occur, it isn’t explored much and doesn’t feel earned. Instead, what we get is more interactions with Snow White and Dopey, the dwarf who doesn’t speak. At the end of the film, Dopey finally speaks to the audience’s surprise. There are subtle nuances that don’t make this feel right. For instance, Dopey strikes me as the type who remains mute, not because he chooses to but because he physically can’t due to some unexplored trauma. The way he speaks is so fluid, making it hard to suspend my disbelief more than I already have. 

I had hoped and expected for this film to take me back to childhood when I rated every Disney film highly for its gripping story. However, the film is a testament to growing up when we are forced to put on different lenses and accept that these stories are no longer for us. It’s hard to escape reality with an enchanting film when the immersion is broken at every turn. A viewer can only suspend their disbelief so much—especially in a fantasy world.

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