Bambi: La Venganza

Granted, I had absolutely zero expectations to this 2025 horror movie, solely because of the movie's title. I mean, the recent years string of turning children's books into horror stories haven't exactly been stellar movies. But still, I opted to watch "Bambi: The Reckoning" solely because it was a horror movie that I hadn't already seen. And thus is the curse of being a fan of all things horror.

Writers Felix Salten and Rhys Warrington put together a rather straightforward script and storyline. It actually wasn't as bad as you might expect from a movie with a title such as "Bambi: The Reckoning". Just don't expect anything award-winning here, and you're good to go.

Of the entire cast ensemble in the movie, I was only familiar with Nicola Wright. Yeah, I've seen more than my share of low budget and questionable movies to be familiar with her. The acting performances in the movie were fair.

The effects in the movie were fair, not great, but fair enough for what they were. The design of Bambi was certainly interesting enough and added something to the movie. But some of the CGI animated scenes looked a bit questionable at times.

"Bambi: The Reckoning" was actually a watchable movie, if you don't sit down with a bunch of expectations to the movie. Not a phenomenally great movie, mind you, but watchable for the campy stuff that it was. Watchable, yes, but hardly a movie that warrants more than a single viewing. Nor is it a movie that I would recommend horror fans to rush out and get to watch.

My rating of director Dan Allen's 2025 movie "Bambi: The Reckoning" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Bambi is a weird, wild spin on a childhood staple. Imagine a creature-feature twist where the gentle deer becomes a mutated nightmare after tragedy transforms him. 6.5/10

The creature design is bold: massive antlers, gnarly teeth, and a beast-like presence that channels the absurd energy of Jurassic Park-style horrors.

Roxanne McKee holds the heart with a grounded performance as Xana, and Tom Mulheron adds a relatable kid-in-danger dynamic. But mostly it's about thrills. The action scenes deliver twisted kills, though pacing dips when the story pauses for family drama that never quite earns your attention.

I understand it's part of the Twisted Childhood Universe which adds a weird allure... this is horror knowing it's absurd, and leaning hard into that. It's rough around the edges, but if you're in the mood for an outrageous, grazing-the-edge-of-camp horror ride, it hits enough marks to make it worth the ticket.

I might check the other movies in the TCU.

Look, Bambi: The Reckoning isn't a good movie in the traditional sense, and that's exactly why it's worth watching. This gloriously unhinged revenge-horror parody takes Disney's most delicate deer and turns him into a bloodthirsty woodland avenger. It's absurd, over-the-top, and completely aware of how ridiculous it is.

You don't watch this movie for nuance or storytelling, you watch it to see Bambi tear through people like Rambo with antlers.

It's the perfect movie for a late-night hangout with friends, some popcorn, and a sense of humor.

Is it bad? Absolutely.

Did I enjoy it? Without a doubt.

"Bambi: The Reckoning" (2025), directed by Dan Allen, takes the beloved childhood character and twists it into a relentless, R-rated creature feature. Part of the "Twisted Childhood Universe," this film reimagines Bambi as a mutated, grief-stricken deer on a deadly rampage, seeking revenge on humans. While some critics note inconsistent pacing and CGI, many praise its effective monster design, creative kills, and willingness to lean into its wild premise. It's a bloody, unapologetic horror film that delivers on its promise of an unhinged Bambi.

Is it worth watching? If you're a horror fan looking for a campy, gory, and surprisingly fun take on a classic, and don't mind a B-movie aesthetic, then "Bambi: The Reckoning" is a surprisingly entertaining watch.

I recently watched the UK picture 🇬🇧 Bambi: The Reckoning (2025) in theaters. The storyline follows a mutated Bambi who is out for revenge after the death of his mother. When a car crashes in the forest, the victims will have to avoid Bambi at all costs if they hope to survive.

This picture is directed by Dan Allen (Mummy Reborn) and stars Roxanne McKee (Game of Thrones), Samira Mighty (Beauty and the Beast), Nicola Wright (Peter Pans Neverland Nightmare) and Tom Mulheron (Carnage).

This movie is absolutely awful; however I have to admit, I was definitely entertained. The CGI is way over the top and horrible; however, the kills are unique, gory and pretty awesome. I also enjoyed the supporting wooded animals, thumper was great. The bunny and propane tank sequences had me laughing out loud in the theaters. There is a kitchen scene that was stolen from Jurassic Park, and the overall storyline and premise is as bad as you'd expect, but there is an elite bear trap sequence and ai liked the ending more than I wanted too...so much so I sat through the credits just to find out there's a sequel on the way that I will watch also.

In concluding, Bambi: the reckoning fell in the so bad it's good category for me. I'd score this a 4/10, but recommend it for those looking for something different.