Oh, deer! A new Bambi horror film is released Cinemax
While studying film at university, I took part in an excellent course on emotion in cinema. In general, the The course examined the emotional and cognitive processes that explain our cinematic experience. The first question in the first lesson of the course referred to a study that examined the most heartbreaking moments in cinema history, a list that featured the famous death scene of Bambi’s mother first. The speaker asks how a scene from a (supposedly) 1942 animated children’s film about a deer manages to create such a strong emotional effect. Due to lack of time and memory problems, I will not present all the academic answers that refer to neurological or physiological processes of the human brain and body. I may talk about it later in our Horror Studies section of this site because I promise it’s interesting, but we’re here to talk about other things.
Interestingly, I remembered this lecture just as I heard about an anticipated Bambi horror film, “Bambi: The Reckoning.” It almost made me cry for all the wrong reasons. Horror films have done everything in recent years to destroy our childhood memories, with horrifying versions of children’s stories and fairy tales. After a few great Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and Cinderella movies, and ahead of several other planned adaptations that will probably be equally mediocre (e.g., a Peter Pan horror movie), we’ve heard about a new Bambi horror movie, in which that gruesome death scene of Bambi’s mother is a trigger, likely turning Bambi into a murderous beast of prey.
A horror movie starring Bambi might seem like a logical idea
In recent years, we’ve witnessed a cinematic “trend” that’s both exciting and disturbing: turning beloved characters from our childhood into dark, frightening horror movie heroes. Usually this happens after these characters enter the public domain, which means we can use them for free. In some cases, this is usually an initial version of the character without the familiar symbols that the creators – Disney, in most cases – added later.
“Bambi: Revenge” is part of a growing trend in the film industry known as “Mascot Horror.” In such films, creators take iconic characters from our childhood and transform them into monstrous and frightening characters. You guessed it, the main reason for creating such projects is money. These projects generate interest and attract an audience that is almost impossible for low-budget – and let’s face it, generally awful – films to do otherwise.
Do you want some numbers on why making a fucking Bambi horror movie might be a good idea? Great! A clear example is the first Winnie the Pooh horror film, “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”“, which was undoubtedly terrible. It was produced quickly, on a ridiculous budget estimated at $50,000, and grossed over $7 million worldwide. A film of this quality deserves much less, but the curiosity of seeing a monstrous version of a beloved children’s character had its effect here.
Then came a slightly better sequel, with an improved budget (around half a million dollars), which grossed slightly more (around $7.5 million). However, it remains an incredible success, which explains the wave of similar films we will receive in the years to come.
Here’s another version of the “Bambi: The Reckoning” poster:
“Bambi: The Reckoning” attempts to follow the same path and transform the character from an innocent child into a dark character. Behind the film is the team that brought us the Winnie the Pooh movies and other children’s films in horror versions, the so-called “Pookniverse” – a cinematic universe that brings together monstrous versions of childhood heroes (also known as the “Twisted Childhood Universe”). The production company behind these projects is Jagged Edge Productions, this time in association with ITN Studios, responsible for distribution via its subsidiary.
Similar to the cases of Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse (more specifically, the first version of Steamboat Willie), the production of “Bambi: The Reckoning” is made possible by the fact that Austrian author Felix Zalten’s original 1923 story became public this year. Interestingly, the film was filmed in Britain, where, according to regulations, they could have made it even earlier because the story is already in the British public domain.
The (unknown) cast of Bambi: the judgment
The film will be to be directed by Dan Allen, who has so far directed mostly horror shorts and several other low-budget films, like 2017’s “Unhinged,” 2019’s “Mummy Reborn,” and 2021’s “It Came from Below.” If you haven’t heard of these films, that’s okay. These are movies with only a few hundred ratings on IMDB, the world’s largest movie site, and a score that typically hovers around 3 to 2.5. Out of 10, yes?
Rhys Warrington will write the screenplay, based on the original story by Felix Seltan – with some minimal changes, of course. The creators say that one of their main inspirations for the character of Bambi is, believe it or not, the character from the monstrous production of Netflix’s entertaining “The Ritual”, which we have already referenced in a review of horror films that take place in spooky forests.
In the list of actors, you will not find too familiar names, which tells us about the expected level of the film. However, some names have appeared in several horror films: for example, Roxanne McKee (“A Mistake in Direction 5” and Doria in the first seasons of “Game of Thrones”), Nicola Wright (who starred in “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2”) and Samira Mighty, you probably remember her as an extra in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” from 2017.
The plot of the horror film Bambi (or: the Bambi effect with a touch of originality)
The original “Bambi” is the magical story of a young deer who goes through various trials and a complicated growth process in the forest. Bambi is one of the quintessential symbols of innocence, which perhaps explains the film’s emotional effect on viewers.
The scene in which he flees with his mother from the hunters until a shot is heard, after which we no longer see the mother, and especially the innocent cries of Bambi looking for his mother, will not leave you indifferent. This scene is one of the reasons why the rather critical term “the Bambi effect”, according to which a person can express a sympathetic attitude towards “cute” animals – such as ferrets, deer, cats, dogs, koalas, etc. – and will therefore also resist harming them. Conversely, the attitude can be indifferent or even hostile towards animals that do not meet our demands for “kindness”.
If you have tissues with you, we recommend watching the scene in question from Bambi, which, as previously mentioned, is one of the saddest in cinema history:
Bambi is a very popular character who appears in many products suitable for all ages, especially children: Bambi costumes for adults or children, a Bambi bow, suitable makeup, etc. Bambi’s horror film is aimed at a different audience. If the original Bambi was the symbol of innocence, for example in that famous scene where he investigates a butterfly that is on his nose, in the horror version we would have a completely different Bambi.
You can see proof of this in the poster “Bambi: The Reckoning”, at the center of which you will see sharp-toothed Bambi, surrounded by human figures whose facial expressions resemble a combination of fear, horror and shock. Apart from the similarity of the name, we will probably not have here the appearance of the terrible Bambie Thug of Eurovision, this Irish witch disguised as a singer.
Bambi: The Judgment Plot
So, what is “Bambi: The Reckoning” about? The trailer for “Bambi: The Reckoning” gave us some answers. The teaser shows a conversation between two hunters aiming at something in the forest. The first asks: “Have you ever shot a deer?” receives a negative response and says he shot a deer once. Later we see the opening title of the film, and then an angry deer (Bambi, no) runs towards a vehicle – probably the hunters’ – and knocks it over with its antlers. If you connect the dots, the same hunter’s victim is Bambi’s mother, and her death transformed the cute deer into a vengeful, bloodthirsty creature.
According to the plot description attached to this first preview of “Barbi: The Reckoning”, Bambi will pursue, among others, a mother and her son (Roxanne McKee and Tom Mulheron), who arrive by accident in the forest after a car breakdown. Bambi will probably also kill stupid young people who come to the forest for stupid reasons and die in even stupider ways, because you can have things differently in a Bambi horror movie.
Is there a trailer for Bambi: The Reckoning?
As of this writing, no official trailer has been released for the film, only this short trailer. It’s impossible to learn too much from the teaser, although I have a feeling we might not have inadequate photography and production standards here, especially if we compare it to some of the films mentioned earlier.
Since the film is expected soon, it’s likely we’ll see an official trailer in the coming months, and then we can be smarter.
Should you watch Bambi: Judgment?
Although the film is still in production, it is already receiving mixed reactions. On the one hand, there is an enthusiasm among horror film fans and an audience that appreciates these dark interpretations of child characters. Even if the film doesn’t receive positive reviews, as it likely will, it will generate some buzz.
Some will say that these films allow young creators to reach a new audience, which she would not have been exposed to their works if they had not indulged in “blasphemy”, even if this “shortcut” can be criticized. Call it what you want – a mess, a gimmick, a trend, a cynical exploitation of childhood memories, an appropriation of familiar brands – it’s very problematic.
Many film critics and viewers, including the author of these lines, express skepticism about the expected quality of the film, given the material released so far, the terrible reviews received by most previous films in the Mascot Horror subgenre, and the depiction of the plot and characters we have presented here.
When is Bambi The Reckoning released?
There is no official release date for “Bambi: The Reckoning” yet, but the film is expected as early as early 2025. We still don’t know how the film will be distributed, so we can’t yet tell you where to watch “Bambi: The Reckoning”. But we I can’t expect a wide theatrical release, that’s for sure.
It’s debatable whether this Bambi horror film will demonstrate any quality or remain on the fence as nothing more than a marketing gimmick that attempts to exploit nostalgia to make money, but mostly ruins our childhood memories.
