In a move to address an unusual surge of negative feedback, IMDb has introduced a review disclaimer for Disney’s Snow White. This live-action adaptation, which reimagines the beloved 1937 classic, has faced significant scrutiny even before its release. Despite the backlash, the film has managed to open with a commendable $42.2 million at the domestic box office, accumulating a total of $142.7 million globally as of the latest updates.
As a direct response to widespread 1-star ratings that severely affected its score, IMDb has placed a disclaimer on Snow White’s page. Viewers checking the rating, which currently sits at a dismal 1.5 out of 10 stars, will now see a notification indicating, “Our rating mechanism has detected unusual voting activity on this title.”Notably, approximately 91.4% of the ratings submitted are 1-star reviews.
Implications of the Rating Situation for Snow White
A Misleading Representation of Critical Reception
The overall reception of Snow White does not align with its IMDb rating. Critics have given the film a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In a review for ScreenRant, Rachel Labonte awarded it 5 out of 10 stars, highlighting concerns about the film’s “artificial sheen”while commending the performance of leading actress Zegler. Audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes paint a more favorable picture, with 74% of viewers expressing positive opinions about the film. Thus, the IMDb score fails to fully encapsulate the cinematic experience.
This discrepancy in ratings across different platforms likely spurred IMDb to implement the disclaimer. The high volume of 1-star reviews is indicative of review bombing, a phenomenon where groups of individuals leave negative feedback in a bid to harm a movie’s commercial success. Various factors contributed to this, including controversies surrounding the lead actors, Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot, which have sparked heated debates over their political views.
Analyzing the Review Bombing Phenomenon
The Rising Trend of Review Bombing
Review bombing has increasingly become a common practice, especially when audiences feel ideologically opposed to the narratives presented in films or series. A parallel can be drawn with episodes from the first season of The Last of Us, which faced similar backlash from viewers unhappy with its representation of LGBTQ+ themes. In the case of Snow White, the contentious political positions of Zegler and Gadot regarding pro-Palestine and pro-Israel perspectives have undoubtedly contributed to the film’s toxic rating environment. Thus, the current IMDb score reflects not the film’s artistic merit, but rather the political controversies it has incited.
For more information, visit IMDb.
Source: ScreenRant