
The issues with the recent adaptation of “Snow White,” helmed by Marc Webb, who previously directed “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and written by Erin Cressida Wilson, author of “The Girl on the Train,” are not primarily Rachel Zegler’s fault. Despite the studio’s attempts to position her as a damsel in distress, she delivers a compelling performance as Snow White, interacting convincingly with CGI creatures and powerfully singing the new “I Wish” song, which is prominently featured throughout the film due to its title, “Waiting on a Wish.”
However, Zegler’s portrayal of the classic fairy tale character feels somewhat at odds with the context of the movie. In this version, Snow White is more of a hesitant liberal, struggling to find a way to resist the fascist takeover of her kingdom by her stepmother, the Evil Queen, played by Gal Gadot in an ostentatious wimple and delivering a performance so stiff it borders on being intentionally over-the-top.
The king, Snow White’s father, is absent, his fate unknown, and she spends much of her time inside the castle, worrying about the suffering of her subjects outside. Snow White seems to yearn for the idealized era of Obama’s/her father’s rule, when they would bake apple pies so that the common folk could taste a bit of luxury, and cannot imagine how to fight against the Queen, who may be glamorous but also gained power through traditional means (marriage and sorcery). In essence, Snow White is depicted as an institutionalist, which is perhaps fitting for a princess, unable to envision a way to challenge the status quo.