Snow White and the seven problems: A complete disaster?

March 27, 2025

0 3 minutes read

Disney’s live-action Snow White was supposed to be the fairytale comeback that like the rest, we never asked for, but instead, it’s turned into a cautionary tale of what happens when nostalgia clashes with controversy. Critics are shredding it, audiences are rolling their eyes, and at the box office? Let’s just say the numbers are looking more like a horror story than a happily-ever-after.

The Critics Have Spoken (And They’re Not Impressed)

If you were hoping for a magical reimagining of a beloved classic, you might want to look elsewhere, literally anywhere else.

Peter Bradshaw didn’t hold back, calling the film “exhaustingly awful” and criticizing its “pseudo-progressive additions” that ultimately fell flat. The Atlantic took aim at its “disjointed narrative” and “unsettling CGI”, suggesting that maybe Disney should focus less on banking off our childhood nostalgia and more on, you know, making good movies.

Wendy Ide of The Guardian was even harsher, describing Snow White as “one of the ugliest things I have ever seen,” likening it to “an AI-created migraine” dripping with saccharine sentimentality. She slammed it as a soulless cash grab, made by people with “cartoon dollar signs for eyes” rather than any artistic vision. Meanwhile, The Atlantic criticized its “disjointed narrative” and “unsettling CGI,” reinforcing the growing sentiment that Disney should stop exploiting nostalgia and start focusing on, well, making good movies.

And the numbers don’t lie Snow White has floundered at the box office, raking in just $87 million globally. For context, that’s what Marvel movies make before the popcorn’s even finished popping. With a huge production budget and aggressive marketing campaign, Disney was hoping for a golden apple, but instead, they bit into something bitter.

The Internet Was Already on Fire Before Opening Night

The signs were there from the start. First, the casting of Rachel Zegler as Snow White sparked a firestorm of debate, not necessarily because of her acting chops, but because of the endless commentary she made about the movie.

At one point, Zegler said the original Snow White (yes, the original fan favourite from 1937) was “weird” and “outdated”, which naturally didn’t sit well with the millions of Disney fans who, you know, actually like the original.

Then came the “dwarfs” controversy. Instead of the traditional seven dwarfs, the film went for a diverse group of magical beings that some called a progressive win while others called “woke pandering”. No matter which side you landed on, it was clear Disney was making a major departure from the classic, and not everyone was thrilled.

CGI Nightmares and Uncomfortable Vibes

Disney really thought they could charm audiences with a high-tech remake, but in reality, the CGI looked creepy. Fans online have compared the animated creatures to something out of a low-budget fantasy game. And Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen? Iconic casting on paper, but even she couldn’t save this film from feeling like a half-baked TikTok production.

A Sign of Bigger Problems?

Disney has been heavily relying on live-action remakes to draw in audiences, but recent disappointments like The Marvels and Snow White prove that nostalgia alone isn’t enough. Audiences are growing tired, and the formula is failing.

With each new remake, Disney seems to stray further from what made these classics beloved in the first place. Rather than reshaping timeless stories to fit modern agendas, perhaps it’s time to respect and preserve the originals. The audience isn’t asking for constant reinventions they want the magic they grew up with, not watered-down versions designed to check woke boxes.

The Verdict, A Kingdom Without a Crown

Snow White 2025 tried to modernize a classic, but in the process, it lost what made the story enchanting in the first place. The result? A film that doesn’t know if it wants to be a progressive fairytale, a CGI experiment, or just a cash grab.

So, maybe if it does land in the Silverbird cinemas, it may not be the first choice film but perhaps give it a watch and share your views.

However for now, if Snow White has proven anything, it’s that not every classic needs a redo. And sometimes, it’s better to just let sleeping princesses, well, sleep.