MOVIE NEWS – While Snow White initially received some positive reactions, many have been holding back their poison apples for the film’s Rotten Tomatoes debut. Ahead of its global release, Disney’s troubled live-action remake has landed a “rotten to the core” rating from critics.
Snow White’s Hollywood premiere this week was a muted affair, with concerns that external controversies—including the lead actress’s political statements and the backlash over the film’s CGI dwarfs—could overshadow the movie itself. Unfortunately for Disney, that’s exactly what has happened. In addition to protests from little people at the premiere, critics have not been kind to the film. With box office projections already pointing to one of the weakest openings for any Disney live-action remake, things are looking bleak.
What Are Critics Saying About ‘Snow White’?
The film debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a disappointing 45% Tomatometer score, and the reviews haven’t held back. Toronto Star critic Adam Nayman argues that Disney’s live-action magic is fading fast. “There’s nothing magical about Marc Webb’s film, yet it still feels eerily surreal. Spending $250 million to produce a movie where absolutely nothing works is an artistic failure in itself.”
Irish Times critic Tara Brady took issue with the film’s overuse of CGI, a frequent point of contention in live-action adaptations. “The most distracting flaws come from the problematic recreation of animated elements… The constant golden-hour lighting is unbearable. Worst of all, the decision to ‘cartoonize’ the dwarfs alongside human actors is deeply unsettling.”
Meanwhile, The AV Club’s Jacob Oller wasn’t impressed with the film as a whole, but he did highlight one redeeming factor: Rachel Zegler. “A disorienting reimagining of a film that relied as much on elegance as beauty, yet somehow, thanks to the radiant Rachel Zegler, there is still a glimpse of talent amidst the mess.”
One of the most striking aspects of the reviews is that even critics who haven’t outright trashed the film struggle to find much praise. Some acknowledge that Gal Gadot looks the part as the Evil Queen, and others admit that Zegler can carry a tune—something well-established already. However, very few have actually called it a “good” movie, merely passable at best. Whether general audiences will agree remains to be seen, but if public sentiment is anything to go by, Snow White may need its Disney+ release to breathe new life into its troubled debut.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
