Tim Burton’s ‘Dumbo’: review
The live-action remake of the 1941 Disney classic “Dumbo” lives up to its legacy of making a generation fall in love with an adorable flying elephant, though the mediocre plot takes away from its stellar cast.
With big blue eyes and his large floppy ears, the CGI version of "Dumbo" is bound to make viewers fall in love with the classic Disney character. The film depicts Dumbo's cruel separation from his mother and their eventual reunion, which was his motivation for flying in the circus. The emotional roller coaster of his journey is distressing as he faces heartache and numerous challenges right up to the end of the film.
Brought to life by the imagination of legendary director Tim Burton ("Alice In Wonderland," "Batman Returns"), the movie begins by introducing viewers to human characters that were not in the original animation. Milly (Nico Parker), Joe (Finley Hobbins), and Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) make up a reunited circus family that replaces Timothy Q. Mouse as Dumbo's mentors. The Farriers are part of the Medici Brothers Circus, owned by Max Medici (Danny DeVito) who struggles to make his circus a success until Dumbo is born.
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In the film, viewers are also introduced to gaudy theme park founder, V.A. Vandevere, (Michael Keaton) who ultimately recruits the flying elephant and the struggling acts of the Medici Brothers circus to "Dreamland," a futuristic version of Brooklyn's famous Coney Island. There, aerial performer Colette Marchant (Eva Green) teams up with Dumbo to fly for the amusement of audiences and to amass a substantial profit for the park's owner.
Farrell, DeVito, and Keaton on screen together should be a formula for success. Although their performances are great, the writing for their characters lacks depth which makes it challenging to maintain interest. But Nico Parker, one of the child stars in "Dumbo" whose character is expected to join the family business but refuses to conform to what people want her to be, is the film's breakout star.
Dumbo nor any of the other animals ever talk in this version of the story, which allowed Burton to avoid featuring some the original’s uncomfortable scenes, such as the “racist” crows and an intoxicated Dumbo.
“Dumbo” pulls on the heartstrings and deals with rejection, separation, defying the odds, revenge and freedom. The remake of the classic film takes audiences on a thrilling journey to a joyful conclusion.
The movie is now showing in theaters nationwide.
