Bambi: The Reckoning

It's something I can say for sure: anyone who misses that old-school slasher vibe-where characters do dumb things and the scenes don't really make sense-will definitely be reminded of it here. Is the writing solid? I'd say "no." It's a wacky movie, more for the fun of it, and you'll keep going "huh?" while watching. But if you're in the mood for exactly that kind of film, then this one will definitely hit the spot. As for the visuals and horror elements, they're decent enough.

I honestly thought it was going to be another car crash of a movie, but credit where it's due, this wasn't half bad. I'm always keen to see which childhood favorite is going to get the treatment, and this has to be the best one yet.

I genuinely enjoyed it; the mix of horror, special effects, unexpected moments (Thumper!), and a few recent scares were delightful.

I got Black Sheep vibes from it, the sort of horror film that shouldn't work, but bizarrely it did. I'm glad to see this has a reasonable score on here; it deserves it. From the opening credits, it felt a little different; that animation was terrific; it gave me Disney vibes, in a wrong kind of way.

The acting was rather good; Roxanne McKee added a bit of quality, and Joseph Greenwood made Harrison a character we'd love to hate. Good job! There were several really good scenes; the chase and Harrison with the bunnies are perhaps the best ones.

Not bad at all.

6.5/10.

Bambi: The Reckoning had a few decent moments, but overall it fell flat due to a lack of depth and emotional connection. The story felt underdeveloped, with barely any world-building or explanation around the who, where, or why of what was happening. None of the characters were particularly likable or compelling.

Even the kid, who should have been a sympathetic figure, just came across as kind of a blank slate. The mom made questionable choices, especially in how she handled the broken relationship between the father and son, and that dynamic was never explored in a meaningful way. The film seemed to rely on shock or sentimentality in the final act, but it didn't earn that emotional payoff.

The ending felt heavy-handed for a movie that hadn't taken the time to make you care about anyone. I usually enjoy these B-movie horror spins on fairy tales or childhood IPs, but this one just didn't land. It lacked heart, clarity, and ultimately any real reason to get invested.

I've seen a few films of this type. And they, like "Bambi," are fun and can be watched in one go, without being anything special. The only exception is the two Winnie the Pooh films, which are really great. "Bambi" definitely has its funny moments, even though it's almost obvious how low-budget it is. I had fun, but not as much as I expected. And yet, it's okay.

I'm positively surprised because I was prepared in advance to give it one star and write how it's the worst thing ever and blah, blah, blah... But that didn't happen.

What we actually have here is an almost comedic film that twists a well-known story in a bizarre way, and it does so far better than similar titles. The plot is decent. The sound and atmosphere even managed to create a decent bit of suspense at times.

Unfortunately, that's where all the positives about this movie end. The characters are awful, unimaginative, and underdeveloped. A chimpanzee with half its brain amputated could have written better dialogue. The action is boring, repetitive, and tiresome.

Three stars for the effort.