Runtime: 112 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG (for peril/action, thematic elements, and brief mild language)
Who should see it? Families with young children.
I've admittedly grown disillusioned with Disney's recent practice of adapting their animated classics into live-action. The gimmick is tiresome because the new versions either safely regurgitate the same story through the lens of live-action with superfluous CGI ala Beauty and the Beast (2017) or radically retell the story audiences know and love (Maleficent). An unchanged edition hardly seems worth the time of day while an interpretation that deviates too far from the original will upset those who grew up watching it. There's a tricky balance in retelling the story so that it will satisfy everyone. Very few of Disney's recent reimaginings have balanced these extremes to deliver something which champions the same spirit as the original while finding something new and worthwhile to say. The 2016 adaptations of The Jungle Book and Pete's Dragon accomplished this feat, but the studio has otherwise seen mixed results.
With Dumbo, visionary director Tim Burton and screenwriter Ehren Kruger aim for the middle ground by quickly branching off from an abbreviated retelling of the 1941 animated feature to explore the elephant's antics flying under the big top. The additional material was likely intended to inflate the runtime since the original is barely over an hour. The extended portion offers Burton and Kruger many avenues to explore, but that's the problem. Burton and Kruger are unsure which direction to take the story, and the addition of many shallow human characters only serves to further convolute the simple premise of the original. If you've recently rewatched the 1941 film, you're probably aware of certain problematic story elements. Thankfully, racial stereotypes and Dumbo drinking champagne are omitted.
Regardless, this remake has more pressing concerns. Kruger's script is unfocused on account of stuffing this narrative with a multitude of bland caricatures. Tonally, I'm not sure Burton knew how he even wanted to approach the material as the heightened reality he presents doesn't jive with the cartoonish performances or saccharine story. You're never quite sure what Burton expects the audience to take seriously, and the editing actively undermines the viewer's emotional connection as scenes abruptly end before they can register with a crowd. This frequent occurrence compromises the general flow of the film as Burton seems to be in a hurry to move past the sentimental sections. That's not even mentioning the artificial aesthetic evident in many exterior scenes (much of the green screen work looks remarkably fake). Since learning Tim Burton would be helming this reiteration, I've felt Dumbo peculiarly paired director and source material, so it shouldn't surprise that it's genuinely the most bizarre thing I've seen in a while.
In spite of my reservations towards Disney's remakes, Dumbo piqued my interest for a few reasons. As I alluded towards already, matching Tim Burton with this source material was an interesting choice, to say the least. Elephants are also my favorite animal, so a story about an adorable baby elephant naturally appeals to me. And Dumbo sure is cute. In fact, the precious pachyderm practically steals the show... However, Burton hardly concentrates on Dumbo in the movie entitled Dumbo. The inclusion of several new human characters reduces Dumbo's role in his own feature. It's a shame since most of Dumbo's scenes are quite charming and serve as an elaborate vfx showcase.
Concerning the ensemble, Colin Farrell is joined by young newcomers Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins to portray the family responsible for Dumbo. To put it lightly, these child actors aren't the best... but I don't think it's entirely their fault. They're saddled with stale dialogue, and Burton's vision is very scattered. Even a veteran actor like Farrell suffers under Burton's direction, and he's certainly not the only one, as Eva Green's also relegated to an insubstantial role.
Reuniting for the first time since Batman Returns, the trio of Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito are working together once more. Unfortunately, Keaton and DeVito are operating at polar opposites as Keaton's depicts V.A. Vandevere as a hokey, over the top entrepreneur in one of his worst roles to date while DeVito embraces the campy and sentimental sides of the story to provide a hysterical, layered portrayal of an eccentric ringmaster.
Perhaps, like Dumbo, Burton put all his faith in a magic feather and flew through production on auto-pilot because his distinct creative stamp barely registers on this middling remake. For all its faults, the titular pachyderm's trunk still manages to firmly grab hold of your heart, so clearly Burton did something right.
