Disney CEO Bob Igor has called to re-evaluate Disney’s values and focus on entertaining, and refrain from messaging. Disney’s latest re-action remake has inspired some backlash over apparent “wokeness” in Snow White. There is a resistance movement that works to take things for the people-Snow White meets Occupy Wall Street anyone? There are some elements of “woke” in the re-make but critics are simply picking up on a trend in a lot of Disney movies and taking it out on Snow White. It isn’t called Snow White And The Seven Socialists.
Is it just me or was 2012’s Mirror Mirror much more “woke?” Mirror Mirror featured dwarfs that resembled the United Nations. Mirror Mirror actually reversed the prince rescues princess scenario. Mirror Mirror abolished the whole “poison apple/loves first kiss” segment. Snow White included this element of the story, it is rushed, but included nonetheless.
That’s not to say the 2025 Snow White is not flawed. The movie does include all the classic songs, but they are highly abbreviated. This is actually a good thing, as it helps the movie flow. However, there are a number of new songs composed for the movie. These songs all seem longer than the classics, and they all sound the same. Evil Queen Gal Gadot’s voice stays stuck with you, and not in a good way. What’s worse, she sings the same song throughout the movie. A live-action is one thing, but since when did Snow White become an operetta? The seven dwarfs singing actually sounds better the Gadot’s, yet Gadot’s song lasts longer. There is a reason why the music seems recycled from The Greatest Showman, it was. “Where The Good Things Grow” sounds exactly like ”The Greatest Show” with different lyrics. This is a sure fire way to fool someone at a game of “Name That Tune.”
Unfortunately, the classic songs are not the only thing shortened. The whole storyline of the resistance feels rushed, which is a shame because it is an interesting twist. It makes sense, one question the animation movie posses was Snow White and the seven dwarfs the only ones resisting the Queen? Another essential concept shortened was the Queen’s transformation. This was actually portrayed via a song, which strips of it its dark magic. Even in the animated movie, as the Queen prepares the potion, the viewer knows this is not just a potion making in progress. A new character, a new evil entity is being created in this scene. Disney passed up a chance to make this scene come to life on screen.
In an interview, Cate Blanchett said the 2015 Cinderella said she felt like the remake would make audiences feel like they were being told the story for the first time. She was right. Snow White felt like we were being told a different story, with some elements of the original sprinkled into it.
As for Snow White being too woke? Aside from the slight anti-establishment message of the resistance, not really. Snow White is played by a Hispanic actress — but she has no accent, and the male lead and the dwarfs are all as white as, well… snow. If this is political messaging, it’s pretty mild.
Unlike 2015’s Cinderella, which truly felt like it was telling the story for the first time, Snow White feels more like a remix — a different story, sprinkled with familiar elements from the original, and a bit of The Greatest Showman.