As a huge Disney Princess fan, I had been anticipating the release of the live action adaptation of Snow White for years. Starring Rachel Zegler as the kind-hearted and fair protagonist, the adaptation follows the classic, timeless story, with a few modern twists. Receiving large criticism for design choices and casting decisions, the online speculation about this new film has been largely negative. Entering the empty theater, popcorn bucket in one hand, slushie in another, I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised.
While I was beyond delighted by Zegler’s performance as Snow White, I did not particularly enjoy Gal Gadot’s interpretation of the Evil Queen. Watching Zegler portray the young and innocent Maria in Stephen Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” I knew she was perfect for the role. With a voice like a literal angel, she was the highlight of the movie for me, and I continue singing her songs around my house as I work. Zegler’s natural kind charm and effortless grace radiated through as she brought this kind-hearted and courageous princess to life. I found myself grinning ear to ear each time she was singing on the screen. Gadot’s performance felt quite amateur next to Zegler. As an experienced actress, I expected much more from her, but her line delivery often felt robotic and ill-rehearsed. However, I was surprised by her strong vocals, and enjoyed her few musical numbers.
The new music written for the movie strayed far from the original style. This was expected, since the original movie is quite dated, and stylistically, audiences would prefer a more modern sound. However, I was genuinely shocked to find out the composers for Snow White were Pasek & Paul, who composed other hits like Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman, and La La Land. While these musicals sound incredible, they fall into the medium “belty” style that all musical theatre music, from both ends of the spectrum, has started to morph into. The female protagonist in every new musical, whether on Broadway or on the screen, sounds the same, belting high notes until their throat can no longer support them. The unique beauty of coloratura sopranos are rarely appreciated in modern film and media, and Snow White was one of the last truly appreciated sopranos. I was quite disappointed to see the soft spoken Snow White belting at the top of her lungs. While Rachel Zegler managed to make it sound just as beautiful, I couldn’t help but wonder how the mood of the movie would have changed if she had been provided with music that better suited the traditional gentleness and grace of her character.
The costuming and hair and makeup department was also underwhelming. Almost a year ago, photos from the set of this production went viral on Tiktok, as people attacked Zegler’s wig. Snow White’s black bob is a crucial part of her classic look, and one would expect a multi million dollar company like Disney to invest in a piece that is so important. Instead of a voluminous and softly curled wig, Zegler wore a stiff and straight wig, closely resembling Lord Farquad’s hairstyle. Additionally, her dress was beyond disappointing. I was incredibly excited to hear it was going to be designed by Sandy Powell, a renowned costume designer to create the magnificent ball gown in the Cinderella live action adaptation. Surprisingly, Zegler was found wearing a flat, cheap-looking dress that honestly could easily have been purchased at a Party City. While Zegler’s incredible performance helped me look past the basic hair, makeup, and costumes, I wish this department had come through on their end.
Overall, I did really enjoy the movie. If you enjoy movie musicals I would definitely recommend it. While it isn’t life changing, it’s a worthy adaptation of the classic movie, and will give you some fun new tunes to whistle around the house.