Nerdly » ‘Snow White’ Blu-ray Review

30th Jun2025

‘Snow White’ Blu-ray Review

by Phil Wheat

Stars: Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, Andrew Burnap, Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift, Andy Grotelueschen, Ansu Kabia, Patrick Page | Written by Erin Cressida Wilson | Directed by Marc Webb

As someone who grew up, thanks to my mum’s love of the films, on Disney’s legacy of animated classics, I went into the 2025 live-action Snow White hoping for something that would both honour the past and confidently step into the present. What I got was a film that is caught in an awkward tug-of-war between honouring its classic roots and reshaping itself for contemporary sensibilities.

Directed by Marc Webb and starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, this adaptation is undeniably ambitious. From the outset, it’s clear that this isn’t exactly the same story told in 1937 (something other Disney live-action remakes fail to do sometimes). Here, Snow White dreams not of romance, but of leadership and independence. It’s a welcome shift in theory, but the execution often feels half-hearted. Zegler has a warm, natural screen presence and sings beautifully, yet her character rarely feels grounded. She’s written more as a statement than a person, more archetype than individual. I found myself wanting to connect with her on a deeper level, but the script never quite lets her breathe.

Gal Gadot, meanwhile, seems to have more fun with her role than anyone else on screen. Her take on the Evil Queen swings between dramatic intensity and playful exaggeration, and though she unquestionably fits the role visually, the film struggles to settle on a consistent tone around her performance. One moment, she’s menacing and regal; the next, she’s nearly cartoonish. That unevenness echoes throughout the entire production.

Visually, the film is slick and overproduced, with CGI forests and animal sidekicks that feel more artificial than enchanting. Instead of immersing me in a rich fantasy world, the visual effects constantly reminded me I was watching something artificial and overly manufactured. There’s a layer of emotional distance that the film never quite overcomes.

The music, a blend of classic songs and new compositions, has its moments, but rarely soars. The updated numbers aim to inspire and empower, yet often feel generic rather than memorable. I found myself missing the simplicity and emotional clarity of the original’s melodies.

There are glimpses of something more heartfelt buried within this glossy remake: a few touching scenes in the woods, a moment of vulnerability, a look exchanged between characters that suggests deeper inner lives. But those moments are fleeting.

Ultimately, this Snow White is more a product than a story. It tries to satisfy a checklist: representation, nostalgia, modernisation, marketability. And while it succeeds at being inoffensive and occasionally pleasant, it rarely feels inspired and, frankly, left me ultimately feeling unmoved. And for a fairy tale that once defined Disney magic, that might be the most disappointing outcome of all.