The original Dumbo was released in 1941 and that means it was 78 years ago, which coincidentally is the number of years since I last watched it. I know an elephant flies, there’s a circus and from what I remember some pretty racist content? So, the main thing that I was concerned about was, that it may have trouble being relevant in this year and climate. So, the question is; Will Dumbo soar to new heights or is this another live-action remake we just don’t need?
The story of Dumbo, for those that do not know, is a baby elephant is born into a circus and has unusually large ears. After people shun him for the way he looks, it turns out if he holds a feather, he can use those abnormally large ears to fly.
My big problem wasn’t the weird CGI for Dumbo (it wasn’t that jarring as I previously thought) but it’s the lack of Tim Burton-ness throughout the film. I’ll be the first to admit, I think that sometimes he can get a little overboard and wacky for no reason, but for a film about a flying elephant in a circus, its strangely subdued and I found myself wanting craziness and I never got it. The production value, sets, clothes and feel of the movie has the quality we’ve come to expect from him, and Disney, but not the weirdness and I’ve never missed it before, but I sadly did this time.
His films are strange and unlike others and that is certainly a quality missing, one that could’ve made the film shine and become noticed instead of just being a remake of Dumbo, a film separate that has it’s own elaborate and wacky style.
The film itself was fine, but I find myself confused on why Disney would bother remaking such an old film that I don’t think has any connections to major audiences except for the ones born in the