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Disney has released
more than a few
direct-to-video
sequels over the
years. Some of them
have been necessary.
Others… not so much.
In the early days of
DVD, Disney really
took advantage of
it.
Bambi
II
isn’t the last time
that Disney did it
to my knowledge, but
it is probably one
of the best direct
to video sequels
that the company has
put out.
Bambi
II
isn’t as much of a
sequel as it is a
midquel.
It
takes place right
after Bambi’s mom
gets shot by the
hunter and he has to
be raised by his
father.
Basically it fills
in a huge chunk of
space that the
original
Bambi
left out. After
Bambi’s mother was
shot, he was left
alone. The only
person that could
immediately care for
him was his father,
but he didn’t
necessarily want the
job.
Still, until the old
wise owl could find
a doe to take care
of Bambi, Bambi’s
dad was stuck with
the job.
Bambi
II
tells the story of
Bambi and his dad
connecting and
forming that
relationship. It’s a
great story to see
and it’s a fantastic
story about growing
up and about
fatherhood. Of
course all of
Bambi’s friends are
back in this
midquel, Thumper and
his group of adoring
sisters, Flower, the
young doe/fawn
Faline and a
surprise is inserted
in as well. The
story might not be
an instant classic
as Disney stories
go, but out of all
of the movies that
Disney has released
direct to video,
this might be the
best. It’s a great
movie with enduring
characters.
The
animation in
Bambi
II
is really terrific.
The original
Bambi
was released in the
40’s and this was
released in 2006.
The way things are
done now are
different and faster
than they were when
the original movie
was being produced.
They did a great job
with
Bambi
II
of balancing the
original look of the
first movie with
some new look and
new styles that can
be done in the
modern era. The
other thing that’s
fairly admirable is
that you can watch
the first movie and
then watch the
second movie and not
notice a distinct
difference in the
voice acting. That’s
pretty crazy when
you think about it.
There’s the perfect
balance between old
and new in
Bambi
II.
There’s not a lot
wrong with this
movie and if your
kids liked
Bambi,
they’re more likely
to like
Bambi
II
even more because
it’s a little more
up to date.
As far as extras on
this Blu-ray,
there’s a short
featurette with the
cast talking about
the production of
the movie and the
original’s impact on
them. There’s a song
that was deleted
from the final cut
of the movie that
you can watch.
There’s also an
animation featurette,
four interactive
games, and a trivia
track.
Bambi
II
will be a sure-fire
hit with your family
if your kids liked
the first
Bambi.
It’s a great mix of
old and young and I
might go as far as
to say your kids
will like this one
better than the
original classic. Of
course the first
Bambi
is a better movie,
but that’s because
it’s a classic. This
is worth a look if
you’re looking for a
great movie for your
lot, and honestly,
the whole family
will enjoy it.
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