March 20, 20255:00 AM ET –

Bob Mondello – March 20, 20255:00 AM ET – NPR

Oh, how we miss the original Seven Dwarfs! Disney’s new release is Dopey, makes you Sleepy, leaves you Grumpy and never Happy, needs a Doc(tor) and however you want to use the last two.

Critics Consensus

Snow White is hardly a grumpy time at the movies thanks to Rachel Zegler’s luminous star turn, but its bashful treatment of the source material along with some dopey stylistic choices won’t make everyone happy, either.

It was pretty much as poor as I expected. Wish they had had real actors play the dwarves, and told the truth about Snow White’s name (skin white as snow and hair black as ebony). I wasn’t a fan of the actress who played Snow White. Gal Godot was mediocre. I think both could have been better cast. Overall, my expectations were low and unfortunately the show didn’t exceed them.

Feature film that cost upwards of $250 million to make? Oh. Oh dear. Mar 22, 2025 Full Review

Bob Mondello NPR – Mar 22, 2025

The new songs mostly land without being memorable, but Rachel Zegler’s spunky, assertive Snow White proves a reasonably refreshing update on 1937’s animated princess. CGI dwarfs, not so much. Snow’s not waiting for her prince to come this time, she’s crushing on a woodsy Robin Hood-type (Andrew Burnap) when she’s not plotting to overthrow the evil Queen (Gal Gadot, singing up a storm). Gadot’s the spitting image of her animated predecessor, but the character’s presence as a petty tyrant interested only in flattery and wealth reads differently this time.

In the 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, there’s maybe eight minutes of plot spread across 83 minutes of what at the time was truly groundbreaking animation. The new version ditches the animation and half the songs while stretching to 109 minutes, so director Marc Webb, screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, and their teams needed to come up with a lot of story and texture. They’ve supplied backstory galore, some overdone spectacle, and given their heroine a spine. Even when she’s just peering down the castle’s wishing well, Zegler’s Snow is all about being “fearless, fair, brave and true.” By the time she’s awakened by true love’s kiss, she’s morphed from a child princess into a cross between Maid Marian and Mary Poppins, and she still has her Eponine/Joan of Arc phase to go. Heigh-ho!

Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies With a fantastic performance by Zegler and a great look – though admittedly clunky presentation – by Gal Gadot, this new Snow White is remarkably bright, entertaining and fun. Rated: 4/5 •  Mar 23, 2025 Full Review

Rene Sanchez Cine Sin Fronteras Despite Rachel Zegler’s solid performance, this modern take on the Disney classic is missing charm and depth. [Full Review in Spanish] Rated: 2/4 •  Mar 23, 2025 Full Review