Review Summary: Big-top remake delivers overtime on spectacle, but falls short on soul.
Disney has been in the remake business for a few years now, with some that have truly soared (Pete's Dragon, Cinderella and The Jungle Book), ones that have leaned a bit more toward a mixed bag (Beauty and the Beast, Maleficent), and ones that aren't exactly great (Alice in Wonderland). Of course, Disney now has three out this year, with the first one being from the director of Alice, Tim Burton. (Uh oh...)
Now, I know what you're thinking. Having Burton on board brings a bunch of concerns. First, considering Alice isn't a great movie, how could he make Dumbo work? Second, could he make it too dark for the younger kids who come to see it? And third, Burton has leaned more in the direction of spectacle-over-story in a lot of his films lately. Would that hurt this movie? However, audiences seemed to think Burton to be a more natural choice for this than Alice to a degree.
Well, the answer is different for each of these questions. For the first one, Dumbo does fall more in line with Alice than most other remakes. It's a pretty decent movie (and it has some very good moments), but its' not a great one. But, to be fair, I don't think Burton actually is to blame as much as screenwriter and producer Ehren Kruger (Ghost in the Shell and three of the Transformers movies). Kruger's script attempts to build several characters around Dumbo, with results varying from mixed to at times badly-executed. The film succeeds surprisingly well in keeping the film centered around the elephant. However, because Kruger works so hard to keep the focus on the titular character, the development and backstories of the other characters fall flat.
That's a shame, because the actors, for the most part, are very game. Perfectly cast as the ringmaster Max Medici, Danny DeVito's personality fits like a glove. He's such an entertainer, and it shows. Receiving top billing here is Colin Farrell, who does wonderfully as a wounded war veteran mourning the loss of his wife. Yet, he's not given enough personal gravitas to really make his performance stand out. Eva Green is a stand-out as performer Collette, with a maternal and very grounded persona. However, she really could have used a bit more meat on her moments in the script. And Michael Keaton had the ingredients of making a very fun villain. But, despite a delightfully kooky personality, he's not given enough screentime to really stand out like he did in Spider-Man: Homecoming. As the children, Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins are solid, if not exactly memorable.
In the meantime, the second question is given a good answer. Burton wisely shies away from making this film too dark for kids. A few serious topics are discussed, and the scene of Dumbo losing his mom is definitely not for the faint-of-heart (and there's a few perilous scenes here and there). But for the most part, the feel is more genuinely uplifting and kind-hearted than Burton's other efforts. There's also a very happy ending. All of that is most definitely appreciated.
Burton also pays tribute to the original in (at times) clever ways. Casey Jr. looks like it was pulled right out of the original movie. There's a strong and very sincere cover of the classic song, "Baby Mine" (and a dialogue nod to another of the original's tunes). The "Pink Elephants on Parade" is given a very impressive nod (with a terrific musical rendition by Burton's normal musical partner, Danny Elfman). And the scene where Dumbo becomes a clown and gets involved in the circus act is nicely-revised. The only thing that could have used more work is Timothy Q. Mouse. He was one of my favorite cartoon characters as a very little kid. Seeing him as just a silent standby in a couple of scenes disappointed me.
As for that third question, there's a mixed answer. Yes, Dumbo's story is extended, reimagined and twisted in different ways that helps extend the runtime (the original was just an hour long). However, the pacing is never too slow. There's enough going on here (and enough entertaining scenes) that the near 2-hour runtime is justified. There's no super-long stretches or scenes that seem like they could have ended up on the cutting room floor.
The overall spectacle of the film is also very impressive. From some practical effects that accurately reflect the early-1920's era, to a few stunning big top performances, that budget definitely went to interesting use. Dumbo is also a truly interesting visual creation. He's cute without being overbearing, and he also succeeds in tugging at the heartstrings at all the right moments. That's not easy to pull off in a movie like this. And the scene where Dumbo takes flight is filled with just as much finesse and polish as fans would want it. At the same time, there are a few moments that don't quite suspend disbelief as much as it hopes for.
However, because the script never quite takes off, there is a clear spectacle-over-story problem here. Dumbo entertains and amazes in all the visual and sensory splendor Disney can do with a big budget. But more effort was desperately needed in the characters and their story arcs. Another draft from a more experienced writer really could have helped matters here. Some moments, particularly in the opening third, definitely could have used a serious rewrite.
One has to wonder if Dumbo might have lived up to its' 78-year old predecessor with a smaller budget and a bit more humble of a feel. Instead, we get a movie that manages to fly and occasionally amaze, but never truly soar.
My Score: 6.6/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Dumbo is rated PG for "peril/action, some thematic elements, and brief mild language." It's definitely more of a grown-up movie than the original, but overall, I think most kids ages 7 and up are fine here. The biggest issue for me was the decision to include a few cuss words in the script (three uses of h***, one or two of "good g**!" and one incomplete s-word). There are a few perilous scenes. Dumbo's mother stomps several times to scare an audience out (the tent falls). An amusement park is set on fire and burns down (a family is trapped by flames before being rescued). Like the original, Dumbo is trapped in a set that is caught on fire. Someone hangs perilously before falling. Elephants are not treated nicely by one worker (he's later implied to be killed in an accident).
More sensitive kids may not like the scene of Dumbo being separated from his mom, as well as where his mom ends up. There's also discussion about Farrell's character losing an arm in the war, and losing his wife to illness. Dangerous animal shadows are spotted in one scene (before revealed to be an elaborate prank). The idea of Dumbo earning back his mother for performing well may require parents of adopted or foster kids to view the film in advance. Elephant droppings are present in a few scenes as a gag. There's a brief moment of Medici sitting naked in a bathtub (bubbles cover up any sensitive areas).
