A long, long time ago, in a magical place called Fairy Island, there lived a group of seven famous princes who fought evil to keep the world safe. There was the leader, Merlin; Arthur, Jack, and Hans; and triplets Pino, Noki and Kio. They were known to all as the Fearless Seven.
One day, they saved a woman from a dragon. But when they saw her green face, they believed her to be a witch. So, they attacked her multiple times, misunderstanding her identity. When she came to, the fairy cursed them, turning them all into little, green dwarfs. The only way to break the spell was to find the “most beautiful woman in the world” and kiss her.
Flash-forward to the present.
These seven dwarfs are hiding away, ashamed of their looks, until they meet a beautiful young woman who stumbles into their home. She calls herself Red Shoes, and all of the dwarves are smitten. She is the most beautiful woman in the entire world and their only hope of breaking their curse.
The only problem is that Red Shoes isn’t exactly who she says she is. In fact, her name isn’t Red Shoes at all. It’s princess Show White. And she’s on the run from her wicked step- mother, Regina, who is responsible for her father’s disappearance and the kingdom’s destruction.
See, Regina is furious because she depends on a special apple to give her unmatched beauty. And just as she was about to walk into her secret chamber to take a bite, Snow White beat her to it. Now, Regina is on the hunt for Snow White and her new identity as the fairest maiden in the land.
But Snow White doesn’t care about any of that. Outward beauty isn’t her goal. Instead, she wants to find her father and bring him back safely. But she’ll need the dwarfs help to do it. And, perhaps, as Snow White and the seven dwarfs search for King White, they will find out that the most important things in life are more than skin deep.
Snow White, both while she is herself and when she transforms into Red Shoes, is a woman of great character. She doesn’t put much stock in the physical appearance of others, and she doesn’t judge their worth based on how they look, either. Instead, she truly sees the inner beauty and character of each person. She is caring, sweet, brave, gracious, truthful and sacrificial, often putting her life on the line for others.
As the story unfolds, one of the dwarfs is astounded when he learns that Snow White loves him for who he is, rather than for how he looks. She tells him that his personality and amiable qualities are most valued. That dwarf also sacrifices himself to save Snow White and comes to her aide often.
Snow White’s father, although he was deceived by Regina’s beauty, understands the error of his ways. He loves his daughter greatly and tells her that she is beautiful.
Viewers also learn about valuing people’s intentions over their gifts, as well as the importance of assessing someone’s character.
As this is a story that takes place on the magical Fairy Tale Island, a good bit of magic is both wielded and witnessed.
Regina uses her evil magical powers to curse apples which, when eaten, turn people into wooden creatures that serve her. She also speaks often with her enchanted mirror, has the ability to take on various forms, and curses the seven dwarfs and Snow White.
Magic is used in many forms, not only by Regina but by the dwarfs as well. Arthur has magical strength and his sword, while Merlin uses magic cards to wield his powers. The other dwarfs all have special, magical abilities as well.
A coveted apple is able to transform into shoes, which have the power to morph a person’s appearance, making her beautiful; the apple is known for feeding off of a person’s true desires.
Arthur dramatically exclaims that he can see “the light at the end of the tunnel” when he suffers a minor injury. The dwarfs talk about witches and monsters a few times.
Merlin, Arthur and the other dwarfs are infatuated with Red Shoes’ beauty. They each talk about her physical beauty, as well as kissing her; Merlin and Arthur even fantasize about it.
Snow White and a dwarf kiss a few times. A dwarf refers to himself as a “part-time romantic.” Still, another is told to find a better way to “hit on girls” as he takes Red Shoes to a special place where he has obviously rehearsed lines to win over his love interests.
Red Shoes slaps Arthur in the face when he puckers up for a kiss, making it clear that she does not appreciate his advances. The dwarfs believe that when they turn back into their regular forms, ladies will be “begging to kiss them.”
We hear about a female character who’s busy “waxing her legs.”
Multiple perilous scenes might be too scary for the littlest viewers as the dwarfs fight enemies with swords, magical spells, boulders and cannonballs. In one fight scene, a group of soldiers are crushed by a falling house frame. In another, a fire-breathing dragon destroys a small village.
Regina, the witch, gets angry and mistreats some small companions, whom she has turned into cute wooden creatures. Once, she knocks the head off of a little bear, but it’s soon replaced. Regina threatens to kill a friend of Snow White if she doesn’t give up her red shoes. Regina also employs her living, evil mirror, which is attached to a tree. The tree-mirror extends his branches and hurts multiple people.
A dwarf hits Red Shoes over the head with a pan, knocking her unconscious. Another dwarf exclaims that he’d like to “punch” Merlin. Multiple wooden creatures get zapped with magic. A few of those creatures, who are actually humans beneath their cursed exterior, ultimately die when they fall into a lake and drown.
Snow White defends herself and the dwarfs multiple times by punching a prince in the face and head-butting a group of threatening guards.
Snow White says “oh my gosh” a few times. Regina, the witch, is called a “hag,” a “horrible crone” and “ugly.” Other insults include, “loser,” “buffoon,” “big ugly face” and “stupid.”
A dwarf says he wants to kick an object “where the sun don’t shine.” Regina tells her mirror to “cut the sass.”
None.
Regina can be quite scary when she gets angry.
We hear a joke about fecal matter being used in a special face mask. A dwarf comments on a friend needing “anger management.” A group of guards make fun of Snow White’s physical appearance.
A compilation of magical worlds, Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs features many beloved characters that we’ve all grown to know and love. But with a little twist.
This animated kids’ original holds an important message for viewers of all ages: Outward beauty is no match for what’s inside. In other words, who you are is the most beautiful thing about you. And, because of that, developing the person you want to become deserves the most attention.
It’s a beautiful premise that isn’t usually a main focus in films. And while it is certainly a worthy message, there are still some magical mishaps parents will want to be aware of. Flirtation, a few kisses, some potty humor and a little rude language turn up, and some perilous scenes might make this too scary for small viewers.
But for those that do watch, they will learn that while the world may see outer beauty, true friends—the kind that are worth fighting for—are the ones who focus on the heart.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
