Disney’s ‘Snow White’ receives surprisingly glowing reviews after ‘woke’ backlash

The production company’s live action remake of Snow White has been met with praise in surprisingly positive reviews after relentless “woke” backlash.

The stakes were high for the latest Disney live action remake of the legendary production company’s first ever feature film, Snow White.

But doubts swiftly set in amid months of bad publicity, including controversy around comments made by lead star Rachel Zegler, the decision for the seven dwarfs to be computer-generated, a journalist-ban on the premiere red carpet and rumours of a cast feud to boot.

However, it appears the finished product hasn’t suffered from all the noise, with one outlet describing it as “one of Disney’s best live-action remakes in years.”

Indeed, the folks at Disney have long been capitalising on their treasure trove of a catalogue to remake classic animations for new audiences. While often they’ve been successful at the box office (plenty of billion-dollar wins in there), acclaimed critical reception has been harder to come by.

Snow White, it seems, could be on track to achieving the latter if early reviews after a Saturday night screening in Los Angeles are anything to go by, with widespread adoration for Zegler, 23, in the titular role as the beloved Disney princess, as well as praise for co-star Gal Gadot, the cinematography, music and the screenplay.

Disney's live action Snow White remake, starring Rachel Zegler, is receiving surprisingly positive early reviews.

It must be said, a bulk of the reviews emerging have come from social media influencers, which can skew more positively as opposed to those penned by seasoned film and television critics.

Variety, noting Zegler “beautifully embodied the graceful, gentle nature of the OG Disney princess”, described the $US209 million film as a “visual feast with showstopping new musical numbers and, of course, dozens of enchanting animated animals.”

The review continued, “The screenplay wisely gives its heroine new-found depth through her fervent desire to become the leader her father believed she could be, and a love story that’s sweet as apple pie.”

Film Hound’s Paul Klein wrote, “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 dwarfs that let the film down. The choice is baffling.”

Gal Gadot plays the evil queen.

Gal Gadot, Marc E. Platt and Rachel Zegler attend the World Premiere of Disney's Snow White at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 15. Picture: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney

Christopher Mills of the social media account ‘Christopher Rates It’ dubbed it one of Disney’s best remakes in years.

“The biggest surprise of 2025 is that the most ‘controversial’ and hated film of the year is actually a decent live-action movie. #Snow white 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,” Mills wrote.

“Listen, I was worried, but let me tell you Snow White is PURE DISNEY MAGIC!” added The Disinsider Show podcast host Skyler Shuler.

Critics’ reviews for Snow White are set to be published on March 19, with the film to hit cinemas March 20.

Originally published as Disney’s ‘Snow White’ receives surprisingly glowing reviews after ‘woke’ backlash