‘Snow White’ Premieres

Amy Valentine

Online Editor

On Mar. 21, Disney’s newest movie release, “Snow White,” premiered in theatres worldwide— to mixed reactions. The film is a live-action retelling of the animated 1937 classic, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which was the company’s first full-length animated film.

Since the announcement of the film, “Snow White” has been shrouded with controversy over various subjects. Rachel Zegler, who plays the titular role, has been the target for hate regarding her comments about the 1937 film.

In an interview with Extra, Zegler stated, “The original cartoon came out in 1937 and very evidently so. There’s a big focus on her love story with a guy who literally stalks her. Weird! Weird. So we didn’t do that this time.” However, these comments led to backlash over Zegler and the film for being too “woke.”

There has also been discourse regarding the depiction of the dwarfs. Actor Peter Dinklage criticized the involvement of the dwarfs in the film, stating, “You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that (—) backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together.” On the other hand, there have been other members of the dwarfism community that have disagreed, vocalizing how little opportunities there are for people with dwarfism in acting.

Even with the various controversies, “Snow White” has managed to gross over $143.1 million worldwide. However, this is still an underperformance, as the film’s budget was $250 million. Nonetheless, the film has been met with varied opinions.

So far, the film sits at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. “The timeless classic, a groundbreaking achievement for animation, has been turned into another pointless and awkward live-action automaton that vanishes from your mind the second it’s over,” one review read. Another review remarked that the movie “is a fairy tale for a new generation—one that reminds us all of the power of courage, kindness, and believing in a better future.”

“Snow White” has added various changes to the original film. The movie includes various new songs, whilst keeping a few of the classic fan-favorites from the 1937 soundtrack. Another change implemented into the live-action is that the dwarfs now have powers, which are magical abilities that coincide with their names.

One notable difference in the film is how there is no prince. Instead, Snow White’s love interest is a thief named Johnathan, who steals the castle’s riches to give to the poor (in a similar vein as “Robin Hood”).

While this new retelling of the classic fairytale has conjured up differing opinions, Zegler ultimately brings an inspiring new personality to the princess: one that aims to resonate with anyone “Waiting on a Wish.” At just 23, Zegler’s wish came true.