Early Reactions to 'Snow White' are Overwhelmingly Positive
by EG
Online trolls have been working hard to set up a backlash against Disney's new live-action remake of Snow White, but reactions to the film's premiere suggest that they're going to have a hard task in front of them. Critics and fans who have seen the movie, which hits theaters this weekend, have had an overall positive reaction, and that may be enough to overcome the negative noise surrounding the film. Read on for details.
The Snow White backlash brigade isn’t going to like this.
On Saturday, Disney held the Los Angeles premiere of its live-action re-imagining of Snow White and the first reactions from the screening are that the film, starring Rachel Zegler as the titular fairy tale character and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, is “actually mostly successful,” according to one viewer while several are praising Zegler, with one critic calling her “stunning” despite the raging online controversy over the title.
Premiere reactions tend to come from fan bloggers and influencers and typically skew more positive than formal critic reviews — of which Snow White has had suspiciously few, so far. Nevertheless, initial responses following the L.A. premiere have been enthusiastic, if also sounding markedly surprised.
“Despite becoming an internet punching bag, Disney’s remake of Snow White is actually mostly successful!” wrote Matt DeGroot of Crooked Media. “Rachel Zegler is an absolute star, (most of) the new songs are catchy and beautifully performed, and the visual palette is sumptuous and vibrant. Gal Gadot had beautiful gowns… It’s a solid 3.5/5. Cinderella is my favorite of the remakes, but I would put this on par with [The] Little Mermaid in the next tier of my rankings with the rest below.”
Paul Klein of Film Hound magazine wrote a similar take to DeGroot: “I may regret saying this but #SnowWhite is solid. I really enjoyed the musical numbers, particularly the opening one and the Queen’s evil bop. Zegler was great in the lead role, and Gadot was fun. It’s really the CGI dwarves that let the film down. The choice is baffling.”
Elsewhere, Christopher Mills of Christopher Rates It agreed in his weekend post on X.com following the screening. “The biggest surprise of 2025 is that the most ‘controversial’ and hated film of the year is actually a decent live-action movie,” he wrote on the platform. “#SnowWhite is not only one of their best live-action remakes, but it’s also a movie that recaptures the magic of the 1937 movie. Rachel Zegler IS Snow White, and she delivers a magical performance. The musical numbers are unforgettable, the visuals (not the uncanny dwarfs) are enchanting, and Erin Cressida Wilson’s screenplay provides depth to this world that I didn’t know was needed.”
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.