Movie Review: Bambi 2

Disney has never had a very good track record when it comes to sequels. They're usually pointless, have no reason to exist, and are just shameless, half-assed cash-in's. And these sequels just seem to have this real childish feel their predecessors didn't have. The originals were children's movie's sure, but there was still this dignity and matureness to them that made them more than just kid's entertainment. These cheapquels don't have any of that, they are clearly just for kid's movie's with no dignity whatsoever.  But there are a select few (and I really mean few) that, while still shameless cash-in's, manage to actually be kinda good. The Lion King 2 is pretty good, and the Third Aladdin movie was also pretty good. And the movie in question is among those sequels.

Yeah, Bambi 2 is actually not a bad movie all things considered. And for a Disney Sequel (or midquel in this case) it's pretty damn good. For one, there was some effort put into this. The animation is actually pretty impressive, not as good as the original of course, but it's actually some pretty good animation that is very close to the original. And they apparently got a head animator from the original Bambi as an adviser! 

And they got voice actors who sounded as close to the originals as possible. For example, Alexander Gould (of Finding Nemo fame) voices Bambi, and they even managed to get Patrick Stewart on as the Great Prince of the Forest!

That was some ideal casting! And Patrick Stewart is easily the best part of the movie. He is just spot-on as the Great Prince. 

So, aside from the animation and the casting, the story is not that bad either. At first at least. Bambi's dealing with his mother's death, and he's getting used to his father, who was before completely absent and detached, being around and trying to adjust to his ways. There's actually some really good scenes where Bambi and his father talk about his mother, and even a dream sequence where Bambi sees his dead mother!

I'm always with you, even if you can't see me. - Bambi's Mother

Wait just a god damn minute! That line sounds really familiar.

I'll be with you, even if you can't see me. - Littlefoot's Mother

Did they really just rip that line off from The Land Before Time? I mean, it's almost word-for-word! This can't just be a coincidence, those lines are too damn similar! Oh well, I'm not going to dwell on it. Despite that distracting little detail, it's still a pretty touching scene. And then they pull a scene right out of the original book! Bambi follows the mimic calls of a hunter, thinking they're his mother's calls,  and gets ambushed by some dogs. The Great Prince comes to save Bambi in what is a pretty cool scene with some great, stylish animation.

And after that, Bambi asks his father simply, "She's never coming back, is she?".  To which he simply reply's, "No." 

So the movie is certainly not without good scenes and moments. However, it still has that childish feel that I mentioned before, that seems to be a thing with Disney sequels. Compare Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 side by side and you'll know what I'm talking about. The original Bambi had this mature, kinda bleak tone to it despite being a very cutesy movie. This movie has scenes you've seen from plenty other movie's where the main character fucks up trying to impress the father or whoever they're trying to impress. It has fart jokes, and the animals just don't shut up! Bambi had very little dialogue, but in this they.... well my point's already been made. Oh, and Ronno, the older deer Bambi fights in the original, is god damn annoying!!!

FUCK YOU!!!!!!!

But despite all this, the first two-thirds are decent enough. But then we get to the last third, this is where it starts to fall apart. The song where Bambi and father are connecting really downgrades the majestic and regal character of The Great Prince. I know what they're trying to get across, they're finally connecting after not understanding each other at first, but what they do with it just does not work for this character. There's even a scene immediately after where the Great Prince, how to phrase this without making it sound awkward, blows into Bambi's stomach. No, it didn't make it sound any less awkward or stupid. I would show you a picture, but I cannot even look at that scene without wanting to vomit! So anyway, after.... that scene, Friend Owl introduces a doe named Marena, I think, to Bambi to take care of him, and this leads to the father-son argument, big not-so-dramatic and drawn out chase scene with dogs, The Great Prince thinks Bambi's dead after falling off a cliff, he's not and they embrace.... Blah Blah Blah. Everything about these last 10 or 20 minutes is cliched as fuck, the chase scene is too long and too damn stupid, and the part where the Great Prince mopes then Bambi turns out to be alive is sappy and again, cliched. But, they do manage to end on a kinda high note.

You know, I was like you once. - Great Prince of the Forest

Another touching little scene and a father-son connecting moment that actually works for the character. If the rest of them were like this and not like.....

..........................

So, to conclude, Bambi 2 was decent in the first 2/3's, and a complete mess in the rest except the very end. But, I did expect a lot worse, and it had plenty of good scenes, the animation was nice, Patrick Stewart is awesome, and it was better than I expected. So it was worth it I suppose. Though I probably won't watch it again. And besides, there was a much better story they could have told! 

Why Disney? Why?!

Bambi 2 - 2.5/5