A New Take on Snow White? Or Same Old Trope?

The dust has settled, and the opening weekend is now in the books. Box Office Pro details the breakdown and trend of its $87.3 Million global total, which pales in comparison to other Disney live-action remakes. Redqueen Andi raised a point of discussion that we’d like to share with you:

“While Disney's live-action Snow White is being praised as one of its most "progressive" adaptations, I think there's an angle worth discussing that seems to have been overlooked. Once again, we see two women pitted against each other—Snow White, played by Rachel Zegler, and the Evil Queen, portrayed by Gal Gadot. But here's my question: why does a character as powerful and commanding as the Queen have so little depth? Reducing her entire motive to being obsessed with beauty feels shallow, outdated, and, frankly, a missed opportunity. Wouldn't it have been more compelling to explore why she values beauty so much? Is it a societal expectation she feels trapped by? Or perhaps an insecurity she hides behind her power? A more nuanced Queen would have created a far richer story—and broken free from the tired narrative of women being rivals over something so superficial. For a movie that claims to be modernizing its characters, it's frustrating to see the same old dynamic of competition rather than showcasing solidarity or complexity in female relationships. With a talented cast that also includes Andrew Burnap as Jonathan and Patrick Page as the Magic Mirror, the film had all the ingredients to deliver something truly groundbreaking. Yet, it seems to have fallen short in this particular aspect.”

Changes usually come with some growing pains and Snow White definitely failed to please everyone. However, it’s best to watch and see for yourself instead of fully relying on other people’s judgment. From where we stand, it succeeded as being the most polarizing, albeit inspiring, piece of work that Disney has come up in recent years.