Bambi II (2006)

I did not expect to like this movie.

I am currently studying animation in college, and perhaps more than other people I've been expecting less and less from Disney since they started putting out sequels to their classics. I've been terrified ever since I heard that a "midquel" to Bambi was in the works, since I was positive it would be another campy, over-the-top rehash of the original.

Imagine my surprise, then, at the quality of Bambi 2. Perhaps it's because there's a legitimate gap in the original story for this to fill (Between the death of Bambi's Mother and his return as an adult), or maybe because of the creative details that were added (Several ideas and sequences were taken straight from the book, which was a nice surprise), but I found myself genuinely enjoying this movie.

Disney really seems to have put some thought into the kind of legacy they're picking up here. The themes and art style of the original are carefully preserved, the characters are expressive and lively. There is no sarcastic or self-aware humour; the writing is thoughtful and the storyboarding is beautiful. My one qualm are the two songs used in the film. They seem too...modern. I missed the choir. Luckily, those are two brief moments in an entire film.

If it had been left up to me this film would never have been made, but I can't imagine it being done with more care and respect for Walt's vision. The characters are treated with respect, the story has real meat to it, and the result is a great movie.