Movie Review: Live-Action Snow White Comes to DVD and Digital
Disney’s live-action Snow White reimagines the 1937 animated classic for a new generation, with updated visuals, new musical numbers, and a modernized heroine. While the film offers moments of charm and visual beauty, it ultimately stumbles in delivering the emotional resonance and magic of the original. Read on for a spoiler-free review of Snow White a film that arrived on Blu-ray and digital retailers (Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on May 13.
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The plot follows Snow White (Rachel Zegler), a kind-hearted young woman whose life is turned upside down by her jealous stepmother, the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot). Fearing Snow White’s beauty and the threat she poses to her reign, the Queen orders her death. Snow White escapes into the magical forest where she finds refuge with seven quirky companions—Bashful, Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, Dopey, Grumpy, and Doc. Together, they help her uncover the strength she didn’t know she had as she seeks to reclaim her voice, challenge injustice, and ultimately bring kindness back to a traumatized kingdom.
Here’s the thing, Rachel Zegler delivers a strong performance, capturing the innocence and quiet determination that are typically seen of Snow White. Her singing voice is lovely, and she carries much of the film’s emotional weight with grace and sincerity. However, Gal Gadot’s portrayal of the Evil Queen lacks the things needed to make the villain truly captivating. Her performance comes off as stiff and one-note, missing the creepiness that made the animated version of the same character iconic.
Musically, the film introduces several new songs alongside fresh arrangements of classic tunes. While the effort to modernize the soundtrack is commendable, the new songs unfortunately fall flat. Visually, live-action Snow White is colorful, with imaginative sets and whimsical touches. Yet the CGI, while present in nearly every scene, often feels inconsistent. Some of the digitally rendered dwarves and forest sequences lack the polish seen in more recent Disney live-action films like The Little Mermaid.
In the end, Snow White is a well-intentioned update with moments of entertainment, especially in Zegler’s performance and the film’s messages of kindness and resilience. But its uneven pacing, forgettable music, and underwhelming villain prevent it from achieving the timeless magic of its predecessor.
Bonus Features*
· Sing Along with the Movie: Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with onscreen lyrics.
·Deleted Scenes:
- Anguish and Opportunity
- Danger in the Woods
- Hunt for Snow White
· Fearless, Fair, Brave, and True: Making Snow White – Take a look behind the scenes with director Marc Webb, cast and crew as they share their vision for this live-action reimagining ofSnow White, highlighting how they honor the legacy of the original story, including the characters, set design and more.
· Merry Tunes – Go behind the songs with filmmakers and songwriting duo, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Hear about their new songs and how they beautifully intertwine with the classics.
· Fairy Tale Fashion – Get an in-depth look at the fashion and costuming for the film, featuring legendary costume designer Sandy Powell. Along with filmmakers and cast, Sandy provides insight into how she brought iconic looks to life for Snow White, the Evil Queen and more.
· Bloopers – Discover all the fun and laugh along with the cast as they have the time of their lives making Snow White.
*Bonus features may vary by product and retailer
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