The latest Disney live-action remake is also one of the best. After struggling with the technological complexities of “Alice in Wonderland,” Tim Burton took a decidedly more classical approach to his remake of 1941’s brilliant “Dumbo,” relying mostly on practical sets and physical effects. Instead of following familiar story beats, he used the original as a jumping off point (which is fair considering it’s only an hour long), focusing on a troubled outsider (Dumbo) who makes a connection with similarly damaged folk (from Colin Farrell’s war veteran to Eva Green’s trivialized trapeze artist) and empowers just about everyone he encounters. It’s a remarkable story, told simply but with style and soul. (The central character, brought to life by the wizards at MPC, is a heartfelt marvel.) Plus, it’s an absolute hoot to see “Batman Returns” costars Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito returning to the director’s playground. The resulting film, affectionately paying homage to the original (without the racist stuff) while taking it in a whole new direction, isn’t just one of the best Disney animation-to-live-action transitions but one of Burton’s best films, period.
Leave a Reply