With the remake of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” set to release on March 21, I am already dreading the mob of Disney adults who will take to the theaters with their nauseating obsession with being out of touch with reality. 

However, the ongoing controversy over the new “Snow White” might be enough to save them from their brand of delusion.

As with many of Disney’s newest remakes, the public response has been overwhelmingly negative. Critics have picked apart everything in the previews, from the cast to storyline alterations to character depictions to visual effects. Within the last decade alone, seven released remakes have received a Rotten Tomatoes score of under 60%, in correspondence to the percentage of positive reviews. I believe the critics are not nearly being harsh enough with these ratings.

First, these remakes demonstrate a lack of creativity among Disney’s producers. Isn’t imagination supposed to be Disney’s trademark? If corporate could sufficiently produce more ideas, a remake would be unnecessary. I simply don’t understand the point of watching a rehashed version of a classic when I can just turn on the original that is inevitably better. 

Furthermore, when I watch Disney movies, I want to experience the magic of the original stories and make connections to the numerous pop culture references I see in my everyday life. Remakes, however, dissolve that magic. Everything is different: the cast, the storyline, the characters, and the visuals. Sometimes, I feel that I am watching in a bizarre parallel universe where everything feels just a little bit off. Instead of the nostalgia and comfort I want to relate to from my childhood, I end up receiving a completely different movie with little resemblance to the original. 

In the new “Snow White,” the classic romance has shifted to a focus on Snow White’s leadership. While I understand the reasons for this change are due to the questionable specifics surrounding the original story, Disney is almost 100 years too late. I fully support the message of women’s empowerment, but completely altering the movie’s plot causes the movie to lose its charm. On the other hand, in Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King” (2024), it had the opposite problem: the plot was too similar to the original movie. What is the point of a remake if it’s going to be a repeat? 

In addition, drastic changes in remakes beg for controversy, especially those of originals dating back to the early to mid-1900s. This instigates larger problems such as racism and other social issues. Take “Snow White,” for example again; in the 1937 film, the lead character, as her name states, is recognized for being the “fairest” or most pale. However, in the remake, Snow White is played by actress Rachel Zegler, a member of the Latinx community, as pointed out by critics. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a wave of intense backlash and racist comments directed at Zegler in response to her casting.  

Lastly, many remakes have transitioned from using animation to relying on Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) effects. The result is often a disappointment. Often, I find that the use of CGI leaves characters seemingly lifeless and unnatural, and scenes muted in color and detail. In “Beauty and the Beast” (2019), I felt that CGI turned the Beast from an expressive cartoon character to an unsettling, emotionless figure.

Ultimately, I feel that the originals are a time capsule of past decades. Never have I watched a Disney original and thought, “this needs a remake.” At best, remakes are forgettable. At worst, they ruin the legacy of the classics.