I'm not going to lie, I didn't have high hopes going into the theater last Tuesday to see "Dumbo (2019)." When I searched showtimes, lamenting headlines popped up beneath local theater listings about the film's disappointing box office debut. I'd also heard through the usual word-of-mouth that it was uneventful, very Tim Burton, or just plain weird.
That being said, I still planned on seeing the film out of solidarity with Walt Disney Pictures. I wasn't a huge fan of the original animated "Dumbo (1941)." The famous psychedelic elephants freaked me out in the phase of my childhood when I watched "Pocahontas" and "Lion King" nonstop.
When it was announced that Tim Burton would take the helm of the remake, I was unsure, but still wanted to see the picture. I adore Disney live-action remakes. "Beauty and the Beast (2017)" became my personal favorite over the original animated version. I'm happy to say that the money I put towards the "Dumbo" ticket stub didn't go to waste - I enjoyed this film more than the animated version that we all know and remember.
Critic reviews are scattered across the spectrum, with their usual asides and justifications, allowing for moderate statements to overtake overt expressions of distaste towards the film. User reviews on movie websites like IMDB, however, were less kind.
Users felt that Tim Burton's focus on the dark elements of the film and the removal of the numerous musical numbers in the original leave this remake "soulless, forced, and awful."
I beg to differ. Yes, the musical numbers were reduced to "Baby of Mine," but that famous scene of Dumbo and his mother twisting trunks from her Mad Elephant prison is still present in the film, and just as emotionally poignant. Other complaints that this film takes Disney cinema further and further from Walt's vision are baseless.
The elements that make a Disney movie, as I understand them from the perspective of an avid Disney fan, are as follows: hero, villain, conflict, and a unique twist to one or all of these elements that make Disney films standout. Oh, and dead parents.
Hero: Dumbo. Also, arguably, the Farriers and eventually the Medici circus. The fact that this slot can't be pinned down to one character shows the Disney twist. In some portions of the film, Dumbo is the savior. In others, he requires saving. This fluctuation is part of what makes the screenplay exciting.
Villain: V.A. Vandervere. He comes strutting along in his stereotypical New York fashion, all business and no compassion. His large theme park requires a star, which then becomes contorted in the mission to save Dumbo's mother. He's the typical obstacle Disney heroes stand to face.
Unique twists: They're all over. But I'm not going to say them all because the goal is to get you to WATCH the film. Find them for yourself. I promise they're there, and they fit the Disney standard we all expect.
Dead parents: You betcha. The Farrier children lose their mother to influenza.
All I'm saying is, despite what you might hear from online users, theater employees, or friends and family; give "Dumbo" a chance. The CGI doesn't detract from the genuine innocence and purity we remember in the eyes of the little elephant that learns to fly.
