Disney’s remake of Snow White has been rated a 1.5/10, which is the lowest rating in IMDb history. After Disney released its plans for a live-action film, the conversation switched from magic mirrors to heated arguments. Its underwhelming box office performance has led to casting controversies that have flooded social media regarding Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. Snow White, traditionally portrayed for having a fair complexion, was portrayed by an actress who is of Colombian descent, which ignited a fiery discussion online. As the lead, Rachel had all eyes on her, so when it was released, her backlash began mainly due to her personality. Her political statements surfaced online and did not help her case, such as her judgment of President Donald Trump and her pro-Palestine stance. The inappropriate comments have sparked mixed reactions from the public. Zegler openly commented about how the original film is based on a man who stalks her, which is so out of line for her character because she falls in love. Gal Gadot wasn’t free from any backlash as she received hateful comments for being pro-Palestinian. The actress has been quite active on social media, expressing her support of Israel since the 2014 Gaza War. There was already negativity surrounding the movie in 2023 when Snow White was first announced; when it came out, the controversy grew even more. Instead of changing the theme of the movie, Disney should have acknowledged the true meaning rather than dismissed it. Moreover, they should have taken proper action and not cast someone who openly admitted they didn’t like the movie as a child.
Unconvincing visual effects took a toll on the film, as critics claimed the CGI took away the authenticity of the film. Rather than casting actors with dwarfism, the filmmakers decided to use CGI to portray the seven dwarfs. This handling shocked the internet, and not in a good way. Since they hired actors with dwarfism in the original, they should have followed through with it in the live version. They wanted to differentiate the film from the 1937 classic and were unsuccessful.
I had no interest in watching the film when it first came out, and now, I never will. From what I have seen on social media, it seems the public is making fun of the film by tearing it down. The trailers show that there is no meaningful connection in this new remake compared to the original because of how fake it looks. If you are going to remake a live version of a Disney movie, you need to do it factually, as most remakes are hard to beat compared to the original. There was an absence of that fantasy feeling you get when you watch this genre of movies. Specifically, the computer-generated dwarfs made it seem like the film was nothing but a joke to Disney. That timeless enchantment was missing, which is what attracts movie watchers and makes princess movies so special. I remember watching the original Snow White film for the first time as a child and getting lost in the magic. Seeing the power the magic mirror held and the poison apple was extraordinary. This movie is the best example of what not to do when it comes to filmmaking.
This remake was a nightmare and a political lightning rod. The actresses’ personal opinions jeopardized the movie’s reputation and their own. This failure of a film serves as a lesson for Disney and its future transformations. Mirror, mirror, on the wall – this is the most controversial of them all. Not every classic needs a remake.
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