Part 12/15:
The Symbolic & Narrative Failings
Much of the film's failure, critics say, stems from unearned characters and plot developments. The romance between Snow White and her "prince" appears abruptly, with no build-up—merely a stereotypical encounter meant solely to awaken her from sleep. The dwarfs, who had meaningful roles in the original, are reduced to background figures, with little to no development or purpose.
Scenes that should have been pivotal—character training montages, heroic confrontations—are dismissed or simplified into superficial echoes of empowerment slogans like "You just have to believe." Critics see this as an attempt to substitute genuine character growth with empty affirmations and manifesting.