Disney’s Snow White isn’t as bad as some people are making it out to be. That may not be a ringing endorsement, but for kids wanting to watch a live-action princess movie, they’ll be as happy as those CGI animals in the film. However, there are some scary elements in the film that may not be appropriate for all children. Here’s what parents need to know in this Snow White Parents Guide.
Snow White (2025) Parents Guide
Disney’s Snow White is a live-action musical reimagining of the classic 1937 film. Starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen, for the most part, the script follows the original story. Snow White’s parents are King and Queen, but her mother dies unexpectedly when Snow White is young. Her father marries a pretty lady, (unbeknownst to him that she was evil), leaves for kingdom business, and never returns. Snow gets an evil stepmother turned evil queen. The Evil Queen is jealous of Snow White’s beauty and commands a huntsman to kill her in the forest.
He takes mercy on her and she is left to fend for herself in the forest where she comes upon a home of seven magical creatures by the names of Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy. She also meets a Robin Hood type bandit in the woods who is kinda cute and charming and together they must defeat the Evil Queen to reclaim the kingdom that belongs to Snow White and her people.
Age Rating: Why is Snow White Rated PG?
Snow White is rated PG for violence, some peril, and thematic elements which means some content may not be appropriate for kids of all ages. Parental guidance suggested.
Language
There is no profanity in Snow White.
Mature Content: Is Snow White Too Scary for Kids?
Being a live-action film, some of the scenes in Snow White can be scary for younger kids. Snow White runs into a dark forest where the branches and trees try to trap her. Multiple people try to kill her. The Evil Queen yells and threatens to kill different characters. Weapons such as cross bows and swords are used to harm others.
When Snow White “dies,” the scene can cause distress for some kids as it’s very emotional and sad.
Dopey gets embarrassed and sometimes the other dwarves make fun of each other and say rude things. One makes a comment that even though his name is Dopey, it doesn’t mean he’s a dope.
There are multiple deaths in the film which aren’t extremely graphic, but may be a sensitive topic for younger children.
There is some romance including flirting and kissing between two characters.
Is Snow White Appropriate for Kids Under 8?
Parents can expect some dark themes and violence, including death, and some romance. To sum it up, Snow White is kid friendly for kids ages 8 and older. Some younger kids will be ok with the content, but the movie is almost two hours long which may be too long for young ones to hang in the theater.
I’m not sure what all the commotion about having a non-pale Snow without super red lips is about. I don’t remember the same uproar in the series Once Upon a Time. Rachel Zegler was one of the best things about the film. She embodied the kind and sweet qualities of a Disney princess while also being brave and true. Plus she can sing, which is extremely helpful in a musical.
On the flip side, Gal Gadot’s musical talents just did not measure up. Her musical number was pretty painful to watch, and she would switch back and forth between stomping around with a scowl on her face or being campy. However, her costumes were the best and she looked the part.
Snow White felt very disjointed and non-cohesive. When the film first started, I kept thinking is this a Disney Channel original movie? Was there a budget? I love a good Descendants film, but I was very confused at the production value.
As the movie went on, it started to grow on me, and I didn’t mind the scenes in the forest or at the friends’ house. They never refer to themselves or the characters as “dwarves.” Those scenes were whimsical and playful. At first glance, are you in for a little shock when the friends come on screen? Yes. The CGI is questionable.
Dopey feels like an upgraded Polar Express character, but once you get to know them, they’re pretty endearing. Doc made me laugh out loud several times and Dopey brought the emotion. Heck yeah for those seven short kings sticking up for their princess.
And then there’s Jonathan (Andrew Burnap). Also a puzzle. The whole gang of bandits was puzzling. The Flynn Rider/ Robin Hood crossover struggled a little against Zegler’s charm, and the love story was not quite convincing enough. But I do appreciate that we learn more about him rather than have a random stranger come and kiss Snow White.
There is plenty of good about Snow White. It, unfortunately, gets wrapped up in the plenty of bad about it, too. Zegler and the music push it over into the positive for me. If you can get over the choppiness if it all, you may just find yourself whistling a merry tune.
Disney’s Snow White is good enough for kids and the okayest Disney live-action remake for adults.
