Bambi: The Reckoning

Deceptive though it might seem, high camp can be a tricky artform to pull off successfully on screen, especially in genres like horror and sci-fi. It requires deftly managed, evenly sustained pacing - not necessarily at the breakneck speed of a screwball comedy, but certainly steady in its regular dispensing of delicious nuggets of wry and macabre wit with bridge segments in between them that move the story along without overstaying their welcome. Sadly, however, in his fourth feature outing, director Dan Allen only gets this down pat about half of the time in this twisted and sinister retelling of the classic Felix Salten 1923 novel about a motherless roe coping with life in the forest. In this ghoulish iteration of the tale, a divorced mother (Roxanne McKee) and her 13-year-old son (Tom Mulheron) are on their way to visit her in-laws' family after her ex-husband (Adrian Relph) summarily ditches his promise to spend the weekend with the boy. However, the duo's journey is interrupted when their ride is brazenly attacked on a remote roadway by a ferocious mutant adult stag that looks like something out of the "Jurassic Park/Jurassic World" movies only with cheesier special effects (but with a supremely stylish set of hooves that resemble those in the inner sleeve artwork from the Rolling Stones' Tattoo You LP (1981)). Not only does the woodland monster go after the stunned mother and son, but also all of their relatives, including the family matriarch (Nicola Wright), who suffers from a form of dementia but seems to have an unusual (but unexplained) psychic bond to Bambi. This scenario is further complicated by a band of apparent bounty hunters who are charged with capturing and/or killing the creature, as well as other equally gruesome wild animals that have also mysteriously mutated, including a pack of rabbits whose carnivorous proclivities put the bunny from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975) to shame. The reasons behind the hunt don't become clear until well into the film (after more than enough of the aforementioned protracted narrative hammocks), but they nonetheless provide the absent justification behind much of the story (as well as the source of Bambi's unrepentant rage), making for a final act that compensates for many of the picture's prior shortcomings. To its credit, the film's campy elements are well done, but there just aren't enough of them and they're a little too loosely strung together (at least initially), almost feeling as if the in-between sequences amount to little more than excessive padding to fill out the runtime. In addition, there's a certain predictability to the narrative wherein it's easy to guess who's going to get done in and when, as well as who ultimately ends up surviving the ordeal. I was also somewhat puzzled by the preponderance of F-bombs scattered throughout the screenplay, a count that rivals "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) at times, particularly for a story involving younger characters. These issues are somewhat made up for by the inclusion of several surprisingly touching moments, an unexpectedly nice counterpart to the graphic (but generally in-context) gratuitousness that pervades the film, often depicted in colorful and cleverly raucous ways (remember what I said about those bunnies). Indeed, those who enjoy their horror with a touch of dark humor are sure to enjoy this production from the makers of the "Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" films, though don't be disappointed if you still come away from it hungering for a little more, especially in light of this offering's scant 1:21:00 duration. Nevertheless, come the movie's end, don't be surprised if you still find yourself heaving a heavy sigh and heartily exclaiming "Deer me!"

This movie knows what it is, and makes the most out it. It's fun, and entertaining. One of those movies you enjoy watching with a group of friends after a party.

This movie doesn't pretend to be artsy in the name of film making unlike most of A24 horror movies these days. The actors are surprisingly good except for few, most of whom die pretty early on anyway. While the CGI is nothing amazing, compared to some of the rushed Marvel projects, it certainly is comparable.

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.

"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.

Didn;t mind this at all.

Some nice effects and gore. Some obvious CGI miss-steps - but that's to be expected.

BUT - PLEASE stop with the evil, corrupt and stupid men. Stop with the strong females who can do nothing wrong and are bullet proof. It's just fatigue at this point. How about showing men and women working together as a concept?