Glen Barker

March 29th 2019 was a day I'll never forget, the day that Dumbo returned into my life and boy oh boy did he make an amazing return, surpassing all I expected and anticipated for 5 years and 9 months since he was announced back in 2014. This film was so beautiful and so much more with emotion and heart felt moments along with some funny moments that made me laugh. But from start to end, I had goosebumps with joy. Nothing can beat Dumbo's appearance, his cute face and his sparkly blue eyes that shine. His live version form was just that adorable for he's a wonder to behold. When Dumbo soars, we felt like were soaring with him as he defies everyone's preconceptions of him by simply believing in himself and becoming a success. Even hearing his little noises made me melt but just seeing so much emotion in his eyes made my heart melt even more which was just like how his original 1941 animated counterpart did. There were some scenes that I didn't expect. First off the Baby Mine scene that happens just after Dumbo's mother is locked away. This came quite fast and almost too early and it was very short. I was expecting this scene to come at a later point in the movie just like in the animated film where Dumbo visits Mrs Jumbo halfway though but in this remake it came very out of nowhere despite I knew this scene was coming but not so suddenly. However I really liked how this turned out where Dumbo finds his mother and the two somehow make contact and do so and you can feel just how upset and sad both mother and son are but knowing deep down they will be together even if they are apart. Speaking of Mrs Jumbo herself she's gotten more screen time than she did in the original 1941 film which made a nice change and you can see just how much she loves her baby son and is willing to do anything protect him from harm. Unlike the original version where she's taken away was too violent and hard to watch but with this one, in the remake, it's more watchable and slightly painful but I was able to stomach this and could clearly see how Tim Burton was trying hard to show how it would've happened in real life. But another thing is that we never see Mrs Jumbo being locked up in her prison car but it's shown anyway just before Dumbo finds it which leads to the short but tearful Baby Mine scene. There was some big concerns that the story would be dark since Tim Burton likes to have some darker things in his films and Dumbo did show that but not as dark as I was expecting it to be, which was done really well to a level that was accepted. I was unsure of was the how the screenplay was written by Ehren Kruger despite he's not really that good but still give him credit where credit is due for trying to pull something off. Some of the dialogue did seem a bit off here and there but I have no complains over it like some of the other viewers might have. The casting for the film was perfect but how they were to perform right was another thing but again I won't complain here or there about it. There was some lacking in emotion with Milly and Joe at times, mostly with Milly which could've been improved here and there for the most part but still they did ok in looking after Dumbo and bonding with him same as did Holt Farrier who I thought did a good job than he really was showing. Michael Keaton's portrayed as V. A. Vandevere, the "hidden" villain, was done so well that even I was impressed and to have him as the bad guy in Dumbo was so refreshing since the original 1941 film never had one. Vandevere looked perfect but at the same time how villainous could he be or get? But it did seem like he fit the part which he did in this movie, however now that I see it, he's portrayal as Dumbo's antagonist was spot on. I still rate this film 10/10 stars. Well done Tim Burton and thank you for bring back this legendary Disney legend back and most of all.... welcome back Dumbo!