Disney’s updated version ofSnow Whiteis full of unexpected and unusual decisions, but none is more bizarre than the decision to include two different sets of companions. The movie may havedropped the seven dwarfs tagline from the title, but the diminutive characters from the animated classic are still present with no change to their names, but instead an update to their character arc. For them to be absent from the story would take away the original’s magic and remove one of the most important aspects of Snow White’s (Rachel Zegler) evolution.
However, there’s also a group of seven bandits who are Jonathan’s (Andrew Burnap) acquaintances, and that feels like the strangest addition. They serve no real purpose to the narrative as they are not given ample time for the audience to gain any understanding of their individual personalities. Instead, they feel like evidence that Jonathan isn’t on his own in the woods and attempt to give backstory to the state of the kingdom. What ismost interesting about their addition lies in the production of the movie, with images from the set implying that these companions had replaced the classic dwarfs. This led to backlash, particularly surrounding the casting, with only one of the seven being played by a little person.The whole decision to have two sets of dwarfs means both lack focus and feel underworked, which is only tainted by the external issues.
‘Snow White’ Misunderstands Representation
WhenSnow Whitewas in production,images leaked from the setwhich showed a perceived reimagining of the classic seven dwarfs.Renamed magical creatures, the photo showed seven actors of different heights, ethnicities and genders.Although Disney confirmed that the on-set photos were real, it was unclear whether these characters had replaced the classic dwarfs and what their actual purpose was. Now, after the credits have rolled onSnow White, their purpose is still hazy.
‘Snow White’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Drops Lower as the Hate Campaign Continues
The drop comes after IMDb put up a notice on their site about review bombing.
These characters didn’t appear to align with the classic archetypes from the original, such as Doc, Grumpy and Sneezy. However, the major backlash surrounded the fact that only one of the roles was played by a little person,which raised concerns around erasure. The remake ofSnow Whitepresented an opportunity for little actors as it featured seven roles that could allow them the opportunity to break into the industry. This was only heightened by the reveal that the actual dwarfs were CGI, rather than being played by humans. Here,Snow Whitehad 14 characters and only one was played by a little person. It is evident Disney didn’t want to tackle issues surrounding the term dwarfism, butnot including more little people feels like it feeds into negative stereotypeseven more.
The Bandits in ‘Snow White’ Feel Unnecessary and Underdeveloped
The CGI dwarfs, renamed animated magical creatures, definitely have an ethereal quality to them and feel otherworldly. Their appearance shows thedistinction between the control within the kingdom and the free-spirit of the forest, outlining different facets of magic. Despite previously outlined issues, in terms of guiding the narrative and maintaining the essence of the story, they feel essential. The same cannot be said for theirrumored replacements, who are still in the movie and feel completely redundant.
These live-action sidekicks are supposedly Jonathan’s fellow bandits, but apart from Quigg (George Appleby), who is given the singular character trait of being proficient in shooting a crossbow,they have no character development at all. This is made all the stranger by their British accents, which feel unexplained and jarringly out of place. These characters were the perfect opportunity to bring something completely new to an out-of-date story.Jonathan is so well fleshed out, his morals are evident, and he offers a different perspective to the princess. However, his interactions with his so-called friends just raise unnecessary questions and weigh down the middle portion of the movie.
The animated dwarfs area loving homage to the animated classic, and their updated story arc that centers on camaraderie feels more relatable and thematically important. However,the movie loses momentum by keeping both sets of sidekicks, as the lack of focus on one leaves both feeling underworked. The moment where the groups meet in the forest and the movie attempts to create tension is confusing, and offers a major explanation as towhy audiences were unsatisfied with this adaptation.
Snow White
