Bambi: The Reckoning ★★★

Released: 25 July 2025

Director: Dan Allen

Starring: Roxanne McKee, Samira Mighty

Not only the fourth installment of the ‘Poohniverse’ or more aptly named ‘Twisted Childhood Universe’ but the second of 2025 alone, Bambi is the next Disney classic to receive the horror treatment with Bambi: The Reckoning. This franchise got off to a rocky start in 2023 with its first instalment Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey, but has since made steady improvements as it’s continued. Blood and Honey 2 improved its character design and kills to create something quite entertaining, and Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare was suitably eerie and frightening. Not afraid to hold back, Bambi: The Reckoning thrusts us into a dark forest after a mother and son get in a car wreck. They soon start being hunted by Bambi, a mutated, grief-stricken deer on a deadly rampage seeking revenge for the death of his mother. Boasting plenty of action, fun kills and excellent use of location, Bambi: The Reckoning may take itself too seriously alongside all three other installments, but what it lacks in camp, it makes up for in gore.

To put it simply – Bambi: The Reckoning is the best entry into the Twisted Childhood Universe so far. Keeping the premise simple (for the most part) by focussing on a deer going on a killing spree was the right way to take this adaptation, as it just provides a wildly entertaining time. The action kicks off pretty much straight away, throwing our characters straight into harms way, and the already snappy 81 minute run-time moves past like a breeze. Horror fans are likely to be impressed with the scares on offer, as not only is it particularly gory and grizzly with plenty of kills, but the design of our villain is quite effective. For a movie of this budget, they definitely take some big swings with the CGI and effects, but a lot of it works well. Our large, evil Bambi is genuinely menacing and terrifying, and any time he spends on screen is fear-inducing and entertaining. Forest settings are always a fun location, and it’s utilized successfully here. The darkness of the night, depth of the trees and isolation of the house our guests are residing in adds to the fear factor whilst putting a dark spin on the original. As any installment into the TCU should, it has nods to the Disney movie that will impress fans of the 1942 classic. We even have an evil Thumper on our hands amongst other surprises, with a strong final message that makes good use of the original story whilst modernizing it slightly. The narrative is simple, but also proves they had an idea to warrant this rendition, rather than just capitalizing on the ‘Disney turns horror’ hype. It isn’t short of impressive elements.

The supporting performances are a little hit or miss but decent across the board, though it is our lead who really impresses. Playing Xana is Roxanne McKee (Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines), who has enough determination and drive to make her character likable. She doesn’t quite reach final girl status due to not being as memorable as our favourites, but her stop at nothing approach in order to protect her son is admirable, and it’s great to have a leading lady who isn’t afraid to stick up for herself and fight. Playing her son Benji is young Tom Mulheron (Black Mirror: USS Callister), who also gives a good turn, especially for his age. We quickly learn that his relationship with his father is quite strained, giving us a thorough exploration into the effect this can have on the mother/son relationship. The pair work really well together, ensuring the themes within the script are delivered believably. Although the supporting performances are mixed, there is an interesting family dynamic served up in the script that at least ensures their scenes are interesting and hold some drama. The exploration of family here is quite impressive, much like the original though in a very different way.

Bambi: The Reckoning might win over followers of the franchise who have been less impressed with earlier instalments, but it’s not without issues. Viewers main complaint of the movies thus far is that they don’t lean into the campy-ness of the idea – unfortunately, Bambi also falls victim to this. Though the gritty, bleak and disturbing take of not only this movie but the three before it has some merit, it’s undeniable that horror retellings of classic Disney stories should be much more fun than they are. The idea is silly, with so much potential for jokes, humor and a camp nature, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the franchise is unlikely to lean into that. Alongside some shoddy performances from Love Island alumni, there are also some stark issues within the dialogue that occasionally make Bambi: The Reckoning a tricky watch. The conversations aren’t engaging, and the speech is both predictable and delivered badly. The further the run-time progresses, the more ideas introduced that threaten to convolute things. At its strongest when most simple – deer fights family – it definitely has something to say, but by the time the credits roll, it might’ve bitten off more than it can chew.

Overall, Bambi: The Reckoning is an entertaining watch that deserves a viewing from creature feature fans alongside followers of the franchise. The visuals and storyline are the best we’ve received from this universe so far, and the horror elements work a treat. Some finer tuning within the script, especially where the dialogue is concerned, would’ve brought Bambi from ‘good’ to ‘great’, though what we do receive is not only serviceable but quite fun.