Synopsis courtesy of IMDB.com: “A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.”

Directed by: Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands)

Starring: Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Eva Green (Casino Royale), Michael Keaton (Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)), and Danny DeVito (Matilda)

Dumbo is rated PG.

The original Dumbo, released in 1941 may not be the most popular title in Disney’s library, but that hasn’t stopped the company from making it the latest to receive the live-action remake treatment.  Most will remember the original as one of the more bizarre films Disney has put out, and they have stayed on-brand by bringing Tim Burton on as the director for this remake. The recent remakes such as Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book have been helmed by adept filmmakers, but none have matched the caliber of Burton.  Along with his frequent collaborators, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito, Burton’s Dumbo boasts additions of Colin Farrell and Eva Green to round out a more than capable cast.

With a runtime just shy of two hours, the biggest question I had going into the film was how it would fill the extra time, given that the original ran a grand total of 64 minutes.  This question was not answered early on, as the first half of the film was filled mostly with scenes, songs, and references copied directly from the animated version. Thankfully, these scenes are often brief, though they feel unnecessary nonetheless.  Dumbo never feels excessively long, but the plot is stretched thin and doesn’t warrant the length.

It’s hard to fault a children’s movie for the quality of the performances, but most of the acting was over the top and needlessly campy.  Farrell and Green were likable and endearing, but did nothing to stand out. Both Keaton and DeVito should be commended for their zeal and magniloquence, even if they felt like caricatures of their most memorable roles.  The entire cast seemed a step or two behind the audience, leaving me beleaguered with constant over-explanations. The script did nothing to remedy this, as the characters and events were sparsely drawn and rarely elaborated upon.

As is the case with the majority of major studio productions, Dumbo was altogether too cautious to do anything especially interesting.  Tim Burton’s trademark sensibilities were on occasional display here, although they were too often diffused beyond the point of recognition.  The film is coated in a noticeable sheen, making it appear alluring yet simultaneously inorganic. It methodically hits on all of the obligatory emotional beats to moderate success, and is a genial film to digest.

When all is said and done, Dumbo is a remake that isn’t entirely necessary, and fails to justify the amount of talent behind it.  Disney has created a formula for comfortable, familiar films that aim to please as wide a swath of the public as possible, but Dumbo takes the familiarity a bit too far.  Add the fact that the film’s message denouncing corporate greed is ironic at best coming from the behemoth that is Walt Disney Pictures, and it is pretty clear that Dumbo is geared heavily towards making a profit, rather than saying anything interesting.  For their part, the cast and crew do their best to bring the heart of this film to life.  Sadly, they are no match for the studio blueprint, and unlike its titular character, Dumbo never can quite get off the ground.

Reel Rating: ⭐⭐½

Dumbo opens in cinemas on March 29.