The Wasteland Reviewer

Bambi: The Reckoning (2025) Written Review

Wait…what did they do to Bambi now? First there was Winnie-the-Pooh and his now murderous horde of monster pals. Then there was Peter Pan who now murders and is pals with a heroin addict Tinker Bell. But this time, the Twisted Childhood Universe tackles one of the cutest and most innocent classic Disney characters. The original story from writer Felix Salten obviously made for a beloved animated classic but now we get mutated, killer deer and rabbits on parade! 

Does director Dan Allen deliver what you want from such a ridiculous premise? You might be expecting a film that is campy and leans into the absurdity of the situation. That is not the approach that Allen takes for Bambi: The Reckoning. This film is shockingly serious. There are some moments that stand out that might get some laughs or glee out of you but not from a campy feel. There are a few shocking and wild kills in the film that your most immediate reaction just might elicit. The best elements of the film are the kills and brutality shown on screen. The special effects are not the strongest with such a limited budget, but Allen gets around that with darkness in the forest at night. For a film that is only 80 minutes, the pacing is not propulsive enough making this film drag throughout the film. The overly serious tone of the film in some ways benefits the film when it tries to show some emotion (including a scene towards the end of the film where a moment really does deliver something moving). 

How does Rhys Warrington’s screenplay handle this wild concept? The story focuses on a mutated and rampaging Bambi who wants vengeance for his mother and has other motivations to protect as well. His killer rabbit pals are there to do a number on a few characters as well (including a fun and perfectly executed kill towards the end of the film). The animals certainly are the ones who get the most empathy in the film because most of the human characters are not interesting at all. On a basic level, you want to feel for this mother and son who get in a car wreck and get stuck in this wild world of rampaging, killer animals. There are attempts to explore the family dynamic, but they are not interesting or deep enough to make these human characters feel more interesting. The themes around poaching and nature preservation are there but nothing is new or refreshing. The cast do their job just fine but with little material to work with, there just aren’t any of the performances that really stand out. 

Is Bambi: The Reckoning a welcomed addition to this wild and scary Twisted Childhood Universe? To be honest, this is probably the best film of the bunch so far. That bar is not high, but it is there for sure and Bambi leaps over it on the way to clothesline the head off some British man with Bambi’s antlers. There might not be a ton of depth in the film but there is at least nothing harmful or offensive along the way. When it comes down to it, the reason you are here is solid and consistently offered throughout the film. Bambi messes some people up…badly.