Dumbo (2019)

Review

112min

Genre:      Adventure, Family, Fantasy

Director:   Tim Burton

Cast:        Colin Farrell, Nico Parker, Danny DeVito…and more

Writers:    Ehren Kruger, Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl

-Synopsis-

The fortunes of an ailing travelling circus in post First World War USA are turned by the arrival of an extraordinary new act—a big-eared flying baby elephant. But when their latest attraction captures the attention of an unscrupulous and flashy showman entrepreneur, the adorable little pachyderm must team up with his loving handlers to escape the shackles of exploitation—as Tim Burton applies his unique vision to a live-action adaptation of an animated Disney classic.

Although he might not be remembered specifically for them, Tim Burton is certainly no stranger to a remake or re-imagining of a classic, having his applied his unique sensibilities to beloved cinematic standards with films like ‘Planet of the Apes’ and ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, not to mention his adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’ novels. Now once again seduced by Disney, and recruited into their year of ambitious live-action remakes and general box-office domination, the visionary director gives us his take on a classic story of ugly ducklings and outsiders, family and loss—reworking a staple from many a childhood . . . but not quite in his own inimitable style.

Colin Farrell stars as performing cowboy ‘Holt Farrier’, returned home from war to rejoin his children ‘Milly’ (Nico Parker) and ‘Joe’ (Finley Hobbins) at the struggling travelling ‘Medici Brothers’ circus run by ringmaster ‘Max Medici’ (Danny DeVito), as their fortunes change with the arrival of an adorable baby elephant with oversized ears and an extraordinary ability. When ‘Dumbo’s’ soaring antics catch the attention of entertainment mogul and theme park pioneer ‘V. A. Vandevere’ (Michael Keaton) and his star acrobat ‘Colette Marchant’ (Eva Green), a new world of opportunity opens up for the Medici troupe—but their big new circus tent soon reveals the dark secrets hidden beneath, setting Dumbo and friends off on a daring quest for freedom.

One way or another, 2019 will be the year of Disney—the recent industry changing acquisition of 20th Century Fox and the imminent launch of its streaming service alone will make sure of that. But the ‘House of Mouse’ is also overloading the year’s release slate with a slew of virtually guaranteed blockbusters; from hugely anticipated Marvel films to the epic conclusion of the ‘Skywalker’ saga, long awaited animation sequels like ‘Toy Story 4’ and ‘Frozen 2’ to live-action remakes of their classic traditional animations like ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Lion King’—and as an example of the latter strategy, ‘Dumbo’ might be a sign that the company is stretching its resources thin . . . or just applying a constrictive formula which fails to truly dazzle.

Unsurprisingly this version of ‘Dumbo’ is quite a departure from the classic 1941 film, featuring a real world aesthetic which not only replaces the traditional animation with real actors and photorealistic CGI, but does away with the talking animals which played a key role in the original, transferring their narrative responsibility as Dumbo’s confidantes to the Farrier family, while weaving story parallels between their struggles and the plight of the young elephant separated from its mother. With a running time almost double that of the original, Burton’s re-imagining also amounts to a an extended, more intricate and expansive adventure, and a far less musical affair too.

‘Dumbo’ delivers the level of cinematic craftsmanship you might expect from a Disney picture and a Tim Burton film, designed to showcase the magic of the circus, once a main form of visual entertainment for the masses . . . before cinema and the internet. The film features a heightened and colourful aesthetic typical of its director, plus liberal use of CGI—all beautifully shot by British cinematographer Ben Davis (Guardians of the Galaxy, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)—while the costume and production designs have a signature Burton feel, as does the score from his long time collaborator Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands).

Yet despite the impressive stylistic elements and some familiar cinematic ingredients, this never really feels like a Tim Burton concoction, and the experience just seems fundamentally lacking. The original ‘Dumbo’ was exclusively a family affair aimed at the youngest members, and so it remains here, with a meagre attempts to inject further narrative layers or give it a broader appeal, and with little sign of the darkness and gothic influence that we’ve come to expect from even the milder Burton efforts.

The film’s cast is a multi-cultural, multi-national, multi-generational bunch assembled to reflect an eclectic circus troupe of mermaids, strongmen, snake-charmers and magicians among others, brought to life by a combination of screen icons, established stars and some young newcomers—including Milly Farrier played by Nico Parker, who is almost an American teenage clone of her mother Thandie Newton. But despite all their efforts there’s probably too many of them, and the characters feel like thinly drawn caricatures, even in the more poignant moments which often prove clichéd and unconvincing, and of which there are too many.

Indeed this by far the most sentimental and emotionally formulaic film of Tim Burton’s long career, probably thanks to the constraints of a meticulously planned Disney drama, if not a little bit of filmmaking by committee too. Being a Disney film and straying true to the original, ‘Dumbo’ also makes sure to deliver a clear social message—in the form of a fairy-tale parable about of animal welfare, self-acceptance and the power of difference—but it bends over backwards to do so, without much subtlety and very little daring.

But Disney’s latest big screen spectacle is far from a bust, thanks in no small part to the irresistibly adorable rendering of everyone’s favourite flying pachyderm, and of course the expert craftsmanship of the director and the studio—leaving kids delighted with new childhood memories and adults entertained by a reworking of their old ones, if not quite enthralled or enchanted . . . but ultimately amounting to another a waste of a visionary filmmaker.

The Bottom Line…

A visually dazzling and expertly made live-action remake which stretches the adventure of the animated original but never soars like its adorable titular pachyderm, ‘Dumbo’ is an accomplished workmanlike blockbuster which ticks boxes and delivers messages without truly capturing the imagination, lacking the narrative boldness and singular flair of a signature Tim Burton movie—and leaving us wondering what kind of spell Disney has over him.

Similar films you may like (Home Video)

Pete’s Dragon (2016)

Disney’s 21st century re-imagining of its own classic family film recounting the story of ‘Pete’; a young orphan boy who’s thrown back into civilisation after living wild in a North American forest for six years, surviving and thriving with the help of his best friend who happens to be an elusive magical dragon named ‘Elliot’.

Directed by David Lowery and starring Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard and Robert Redford among others.

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