Modern take on age-old fairy tale
Live-action remakes of classic animated tales have been getting tiresome, but ‘Snow White’, the latest from the Disney stable, marks a turning point for the production house. It may not be their best work, but it certainly is not as dull as the most recent forays.
Marc Webb’s live-action ‘Snow White’ begins with a beautiful book opening that is a nice nod to the film’s source material, the first full-length animated feature film produced by Walt Disney in 1937. But the latter half diverges from that source material.
Snow White (Emilia Faucher as a girl, and Rachel Zegler as a young woman), born in the middle of a snowstorm, is the progeny of a King and Queen (Hadley Fraser and Lorena Andrea), who are benevolent and have no problem mingling with the peasants. They raise their daughter to be fearless, fair and brave. But then the Queen dies, and the fairest woman in all the land (Gal Gadot) becomes the Queen. She sends the King out on a wild goose chase, from which he never returns, and takes over the throne.
Poor Snow White is relegated to being a glorified chambermaid.
When the magic mirror (Patrick Page) tells her that she is no longer the fairest in the land, she orders a huntsman to kill Snow White. But he decides to spare her life and lets her run away to the house of seven dwarfs in a magical forest.
The story diverges from the beloved original from hereon. The wicked witch poisons Snow White and she is awoken from her deep slumber with a kiss not by a Prince, but by Jonathan, the leader of woodland bandits. And it’s Snow White who leads them all into trying to overthrow the tyrannical Queen. It’s a female empowerment theme that is inserted mainly for contemporaneity. Disney’s balancing act may not ultimately be profitable, but it is the way forward. It reflects contemporary societal values while preserving the charm of the classics.
The film’s stunning cinematography contrasts vivid colours against the darker themes being presented. The dwarfs, wholly CGI-created, fail to ring true. The emotional stakes feel diluted, making the adaptation much less exciting than what it could have been. The script tries to incorporate modern themes of courage and self-discovery, showing Snow White as a warrior in her own right.
The supporting cast has little to do in the scheme of things. Some backstories are hinted at but never explored deeply, which detracts from the film’s impact.
There are moments of genuine thrill and excitement, particularly during the final confrontation between Snow White and the Evil Queen. However, the stakes are not high enough to reach fever pitch.
Marc Webb’s rendition of ‘Snow White’ may be visually impressive, but it ultimately stumbles in delivering a cohesive narrative experience. It fails to evoke the deep-rooted enchantment of the 1937 original. This version may appeal to today’s audience, but the purists who cherish the fairy tale may get alienated.
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