Bambi II
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Movie Reviews of Bambi II
Movie Review: Leaves you in shock!
Summary: 5 Stars
Before you dismiss this as an overly enthusiastic positive review, please bear in mind that I am a Disney fan who has been, for several years, bitterly unsupportive of the ridiculous sequels to the classics that the company has released in the past few years. I am the last person in the world to watch one of the 'Disney sequels' expecting or looking for something great about it.
That being said: Here is my opinion of this film.
It's outstanding. Completely. This is classic Disney. It's a perfectly unexpected return to form that leaves the bitter Disney fan not only surprised, but genuinely impressed. They finally did something right with one of the little quick-buck seqeul ventures. And I'll tell you what I think it is.
From the first minute-and-a-half of the film, I knew it was going to be different from the typical sequel fare. But it surpassed my expectations even then. The animation is that of a masterpiece, so seamlessly weaving the style of the original film with a fresh new interpretation that it looks like a big-budget theatrically-released film. The backgrounds are just stunning. Throughout the whole film, it's one beautiful shot after another. This is a movie that is visually, just outstanding. And the characters are wonderfully done too. This is especially appreciated because one of my biggest faults with the other Disney sequels was the animation. It was just horrible!--barely above the horrendous TV animation you see on the Disney channel. You got the feeling they took a week to make the whole film, in the cases of the other sequels. That feeling carried over as well to my sentiments on the story structure as well, but in this everything is exquisitely tuned and yet gracefully simple. The lines are elegant, and they blend into the backgrounds naturally. The returning characters from the original look almost identical to the way they did all those years ago. The only difference in their appearance is in the moments of comedy (more on that later). But, all-in-all, the film, as an animated film, is breathtaking, and far surpassing many of Disney's real features, and without-a-doubt leaving all the other sequels in the dust when it comes to visual sophistication and grace.
Then there's the story, which is so refreshingly void of a repeat-plot (like nearly EVERY other Disney sequel) from the original, that that alone would excuse anything silly. But the story is endearing and believable. Bambi is taken on temporarily by his father, who is condescending and cold without quite meaning to be. Bambi soon desires to impress his father to gain acceptance (something all too emotionally realistic), which gives way to some funny moments, but ultimately, endears him to his father. His father's smooth progression from distant guardian to learning father is realistic and very endearing. And, even though the film uses a song-sequence to show the change, it is employed brilliantly as you practically watch their relationship grow and the Great Prince choose to be different. A misunderstanding occurrs near the end to provide necessary climactic conflict (I will not give it away) but by the end, everything falls believably into place for a heartwarming and satisfying conclusion.
The Amazon Editor remarked that this film's humor relies on something very different from the funny-but-innapropriate innuendo and pop-culter related humor found in almost all modern animated movies; and indeed it does. In classic Disney style, the film's humor is from the physical comedy, which is hilarious and well-placed in the film, and from dialogue that is funny because of the story, not because of some ridiculous quip about modern culture that we hardly need to be hearing in an animated movie anyway.
One other thing to note is the soundtrack, which features a lovely balance of three elements: newly-recorded songs by artists (that thankfully, the characters do not sing. I maintain that Disney has, for now, completely lost the ability to make a musical animated film in the traditional sense--their efforts to do so, for example, was one of 'Mulan II's' weakest points), recurring score themes from the original film, and new score material. The new songs are very pretty and coincide with the graceful and warm mood of the film and are nicely undramatic (no more belting!!). The score alternates between strategically-placed samples from the previous score, and some strong new material. It's the first Disney movie in a long time that features a soundtrack I would actually consider buying.
So--I think/hope it's clear that this film will, in most cases, not be what you are expecting. And I think all the people who like the other sad attempts Disney has made at a good sequel will see how it should be done. I think the people who made this film did many specific things right, but the most obvious and appreciated evidence is that you can tell people actually took pride in their work and pulled together to make a film that they hoped would satisfy fans of the original film and attract a new audience. I think they realized the full measure of the responsibility they had on taking on furthering a story from a film as beloved and respected as the original (something I can't quite sense in the other sequel productions) and truly labored to bring about the result of... a wonderful film, purely and simply!
Movie Review: Believe it or not, an excellent direct-to-video sequel of the classic Disney film
Summary: 5 Stars
Like many people who were weaned on the classic animated films made by Walt Disney, I have been less than thrilled by the onslaught of direct-to-video sequels the company has been producing the last dozen years. Starting with "The Return of Jafar" in 1994, we have not only seen sequels to many recent animated films, such as "Beauty and the Beast: Enchanted Christmas" and "Lion King II: Simba's Pride," but direct-to-video follow ups to some of those classic Disney films, as is the case with "Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure" and "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True." Consequently, when I sat down to watch "Bambi II" I was fully expecting to be bitterly disappointed. Instead I was pleasantly surprised (actually, I was floored).
"Bambi II" begins with the well-remembered moment from the original when Bambi (voiced by Alexander Gould) is looking for his mother and The Great Prince of the Forest (Patrick Stewart) informs his son that she will not be coming back, and ends with Bambi still a fawn. The beloved characters Thumper (Brendon Baerg) and Flower (Nicky Jones) return, as does Feline (Andrea Bowen), but having more of an impact is a character who only appears briefly in the original, Ronno (Anthony Ghannam), another fawn whose antlers have already come in. Ronno not only keeps calling Bambi a baby and a coward, but is also making moves on Feline. Meanwhile, The Great Prince is having trouble with his new responsibility for raising his young son and teaching him the ways of the forest, and Bambi is trying to impress his father. Neither one of them is succeeding all that well.
Directed by Brian Pimental (who also voices both the Groundhog and the Porcupine), this 2006 direct-to-video release has several things going for it, starting with having Patrick Stewart voice Bambi's father. But the greatest strength is the
story by Pimental and Jeanne Rosenberg with a screenplay by Alicia Kirk inspired by the original story of "Bambi" by Felix Salten. Bambi is trying to learn how to confront his fear and stand up to Ronno and other dangers in the forest. The film never uses the phrase "deer caught in a headlight," but that is what Bambi looks like at times and it is something he needs to overcome. What I liked the best is that there are several moments when father and son start to connect, but it does not quite work out, so that there is actually some character development and not just a sudden happy ending. Overall, there is actually more of a plot here than simply Bambi growing up.
The animation is done in the same style of the original classic, and if it is not as rich in detail the differences are far less than you would expect from a direct-to-video feature. I have always considered "Bambi" to have the most beautiful artwork of any of the Disney films, and this one does not suffer that much in comparison (the animators do seem to like bright yellows more this time around). There is one cutesy animal sung song, "Let's Sing a Gay Little Spring Song," based on Frank Churchill's score for the original film, but most of the songs serve as backdrops for various sequences and are done by some familiar country singers: Alison Krauss' "There is Life," Michelle Lewis' "First Sign of Spring," and Martina McBride's "Through Your Eyes." Anthony Callea performs "The Healing of a Heart" during the closing credits.
The film is shown in "Family-Friendly Widescreen" (1.78:1), which is enhanced for 16 x 9 televisions, and also has a French language track. The bonus features on this DVD consist of a Making-Of featurette, "The Legacy Continues," and a "Bambi's Trivia Track" that can provide a constant stream of pop ups with fun facts as you watch the film. Kids will enjoy "Thumper's Hurry & Scurry Game" and there is also a "Disney Sketch Pad" piece in which Disney animator Andreas Deja teaches us how to draw Thumper.
The end result is a half-step down in quality from the original classic, which is amazing enough to justify rounding up on this one. Granted, no animated film will ever take the place that "Bambi" has in the collective psyche of the millions of youngsters who were devastated when Bambi's mother was killed. Still, "Bambi II" sets the bar pretty high for a sequel (it is certainly good enough that they could have released this to theaters) and we can only hope future direct-to-video offerings will follow suit.
Movie Review: One of Disney's Very Best!
Summary: 5 Stars
I love Bambi. I wasn't too crazy about the movie when I was very little (I thought it was too cheerful and too musical), but now that I'm older and I've had a chance to see it again and really take a good look at it, it's become one of my all-time favorite movies. The song "Love is a Song" and the scene where Bambi's mother dies both make me tingle almost every time.
And Bambi 2 is a wonderful sequel to such a wonderful movie. It takes place shortly after Bambi's mother is killed by the hunters. (Those darn hunters!) Don't worry, you don't actually relive the death scene in this movie.
Bambi is running around in the woods, calling his mother's name, just like in the first movie, and is receiving no response. Then he runs smack into his father, the Great Prince of the Forest, or the Great Prince, for short. The Great Prince informs Bambi that his mother can't be with him anymore, and then he leads him to his own den, which is located in another part of the forest. Bambi, as you can well imagine, is devastated by the loss of his mother. The Great Prince then speaks to Friend Owl (who somehow knows of Bambi's mother's death and is feeling very sorry for the little fawn), asking him to help find a suitable doe to raise Bambi, as Bambi is still quite young and isn't ready to manage on his own yet.
Due to harsh conditions (such as the shortage of food and the intense wintry weather), Bambi is temporarily placed in the care of the Great Prince himself. The Great Prince is very reluctant at first (in his opinion, a prince's sole responsibility is to look after the herd; does care for the young), but he agrees. So Bambi spends the rest of the winter with his father.
Eventually spring arrives, and Bambi meets up with his old pals, Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk. He even meets up with Faline, his crush, and Ronno, the big brute that he battles with in the first movie.
Ronno is sort of the antagonist of this movie, but the real antagonist is man. I won't give away any details, but there is one scene in the movie where a pack of vicious dogs attack Bambi. Luckily the Great Prince arrives just in time and fights the dogs off. Then he and Bambi race into the trees together just as man is firing at them with a gun.
Bambi feels like he's a big disappointment to his father. He makes it his goal to prove that he can be every bit as brave and stalwart as the Great Prince. Thumper gives Bambi a hand (er, I mean, a paw) and Flower sort of helps out as well.
Eventually the time comes when Bambi's courage--and the Great Prince's love for his son--is put to the ultimate test. The same pack of dogs that attacked Bambi earlier in the movie start to advance on a helpless doe, and Bambi is torn between running far away and saving the doe's life. Finally he makes up his mind that the doe will not die in the same way his mother did, and he bravely lures the dogs away from her.
The Great Prince goes after his son, and soon Bambi is able to thwart every last one of the dogs. But just when it seems like everything's going to be okay, Bambi takes an unexpected fall from the edge of a cliff. When the Great Prince finds him, it looks as if Bambi has died. The Great Prince, who has all but ignored Bambi for nearly half the movie, is heartbroken. He actually gets down on the ground beside Bambi and nuzzles him gently as a single tear rolls down his cheek. (This is by far the most touching and poignant scene in the entire film. Anyone who is not affected by this scene would have to have a heart of stone.) Fortunately, Bambi comes to his senses and opens his eyes, and the Great Prince is greatly relieved. They spend the next few minutes or so rubbing their faces together, and their relationship with one another improves greatly after that.
This movie is every bit as magical as the original. The animation is just as rich, and the music is just as inspiring. And the morals this film teaches are priceless. It's not as long as the first Bambi, but it's a real keeper.
If you haven't seen this movie yet, then I strongly recommend that you do so. You will not be disappointed.
Movie Review: Almost as good as the first one
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first heard the Bambi II commercial on TV I thought to myself, "Yeah whatever." The original Bambi was the best cartoon I'd ever watched in my life, and I have never forgotten how transfixed I was. I thought the new one is just trying to take off from the old one, but I got it for my son because I figured it is good enough to watch. Not all cartoons can aspire to the great Bambi.
I am happy to report that although this Bambi II cannot be called as good, it is quite close. The animation is detailed. In particular, Thumper's voice and tone sounds EXACTLY like the original - wow! The forest and meadow scenery is all good, and everything is done with an obvious effort to emulate the original. It is a worthy movie for both adults and kids.
There is just one problem I encountered with this movie. While watching Bambi's Dad come to his aid after his mother died, my seven-year-old asked,
"Why wasn't Bambi's dad around when his mother was alive, Mama?"
Not knowing what to say, I said, "Because he is just a dumb deer!"
The truth is, of course, that Bambi's dad probably has a harem of a couple of hundred does and therefore can't possibly spend much time with each fawn. But how am I supposed to explain that? You might want to think of a better answer than mine, though, because I ran into trouble the next day when I watched it again with my son:
Me: See, Bambi's dad can fight off the hunting dogs because he is a smart old deer.
Son: I thought you said he's just a dumb deer!
Me: Well, yeah. But an old deer like Bambi's dad is always very smart. They know how to stay away from hunters, too.
Son: But you said he's just a dumb deer!
Me: (discreetly silent to let the subject pass.)
The extras on the DVD teach how to draw Thumper and interview the chief animator and the two main voices - Thumper and Bambi. They claim to have conducted countless auditions for Thumper, and I can tell. That kid's voice sounds so much like the original Thumper that it is almost uncanny. What really shocked me was the voice of Bambi's dad. It was none other than Captain Picard of the Enterprise! I am a huge Star Trek TNG fan, and I watch the reruns all the time. Yet, I never recognized Patrick Stewart's voice. In this cartoon, he sounds like a deer!
On one of the subtitle choices, the movie flashes information such as "skunks are gentle animals" or "flying squirrels don't fly, they glide" which my son likes and makes the movie deserve several viewing.
The DVD also comes with a simple hide-and-seek 3D computer game for little kids. My son enjoyed it for a while.
I recommend this movie.
P.S.
I had problems starting this DVD in my brand-new player. It would start just fine with the Disney Logo, then it will die into blackness. I didn't even get to see the FBI warning. No button such as "fast forward" or "menu" works. I would stop it and start again, and it may make it past the first blackness, the previews will kick on for about 10 minutes, then it dies into blackness again. This time, even the stop button doesn't work. (My player shows a little palm to mean the button I pushed is disabled by the DVD. But why?) I then push the open/close button to open and close it, push play again, and it starts immediately at the beginning of the movie! Never did get to see the FBI warning, but it's there; I saw it later when I watched the DVD on my computer.)
There might be something wrong with my player, but I suspect the fault has more to do with Disney's anti-piracy plans and my player's being plugged into a VHS recorder. Disney movies are heavily copy-protected. You can only record such a DVD movie if you have a Digital Video Stabilizer which costs around $30. (It IS legal to make backup copies of movies you own for your own protection - protection against your four-year-old's sticky, omnipresent fingers, for example.) I don't own a stabilizer because I am too lazy to record stuff, but I know that if I ever want to, Disney can't stop me.
Movie Review: An excellent film truly in the tradition of the original
Summary: 5 Stars
While some will undoubtedly find it hard to embrace a follow-up to Disney's 1942 classic Bambi, I found Bambi II to be quite enchanting, funny, and very touching. I must admit I bring a somewhat unusual perspective to this film, as I am one of the few living souls who hasn't seen the original. For whatever reason, I never saw Bambi as a child, and - now that I'm an adult - I've resisted watching it because I have heard how sad it is when Bambi's mother dies. I can watch films with humans doing unspeakable things to one another and never bat an eye, but it just tears me up to see animals (whether real or cartoon) sad and hurting. I can't get through Benji without sobbing, so I've just never felt up to the task of experiencing Bambi. A grown man shouldn't admit this, but - just in case you're wondering - Bambi II did end up bringing a few tears to my eyes, as well. That's okay, though. Movies like this aren't just for children; in many ways, their message plays more powerfully to adult viewers, reminding us of the important things in life (especially in terms of the parent-child relationship).
This isn't a sequel to Bambi, I should note, as the story actually fits in to the middle of the original film. Bambi has just lost his mother, and now it is up to his father, the Great Prince, to take care of him. The Great Prince does not take to parenting naturally or easily; he feels that a doe should raise the child, and he asks Friend Owl to help him find a new mother for Bambi once spring arrives. Bambi desperately wants to please his father, but he is just too young to meet his father's high standards. The Great Prince wants Bambi to behave as a prince, not as a young deer. Fortunately, Bambi does have friends to play with, including Thumper and Flower. Thumper even tries to teach him how to be brave. All Bambi really wants, though, is for his father to be proud of him and to actually show him some affection. Gradually, the Great Prince begins to come down off his pedestal to be an actual, caring father to the youngster. The last half of the film is really more about the Great Prince than it is about Bambi, if you ask me; it's basically the story of a father's love. The climactic scenes really work beautifully, taking you from tear-inducing sadness to exhilaration and suspense, eventually bringing every emotional aspect of the whole story to a deeply satisfying conclusion.
The two young kids supplying the voices for Bambi and Thumper are really just superb, and Patrick Stewart brings incredible presence to the film as the voice of the Great Prince. I also think the animation is wonderful. The animation crew may have used some digital tools, but they clearly tried to follow in the footsteps of Bambi's illustrators in terms of their approach to the whole project, taking pains to remain faithful to the look and feel of the original. Since I haven't seen the first Bambi, I can't compare the two films at all - but I do think the artwork of Bambi II really hits the mark.
Along with the movie, you also get a good assortment of extra features on the DVD, including an interesting look at the making of Bambi II - this is where you really get a sense of the reverence Bambi II's makers have for the original film. You also have the option of watching the movie with various Bambi trivia and fun facts popping up at relevant times. A Disney animator shows budding young artists how to draw Thumper, and there's also a little "find Thumper" game for one or two players. Naturally, you also get previews of some coming Disney attractions.
All in all, Bambi II is an impressive package. The film itself is what truly matters, of course, and I think it is really good. Certainly, it's aimed at a young audience, but I can't agree with anyone saying there is nothing for adults in this film. Bambi II's portrayal of the Great Prince's love for Bambi and his struggle to find the best way to raise the lad properly certainly touch upon issues that most parents will find close to their heart. Bambi II certainly managed to touch my heart - and on more than one occasion.