Review of Dumbo (2019) by Tvjerry — 04 Apr 2019

It's been since childhood that I saw the original animated version, but even so, I don't remember it being so menacing. This live-action re-imagining takes the plot in very different and much darker directions.

The baby elephant with the giant ears discovers pretty quickly the he can flip his ears to fly, then he gets exploited by an evil entrepreneur (Michael Keaton). Colin Farrell plays the good guy, Danny DeVito is the ringmaster and 2 kids figure prominently (to add to the family appeal).

While it's never dull and the "realistic" Dumbo is just too adorable, there's not much joy or humor to lighten the burden. Speaking of "burden," director Tim Burton's gloomy visions may exacerbate the film's intensity.

There are moments of visual appeal and youngsters probably won't be bored, but the predictable plot and uninspired direction won't make this a Disney classic.