Dumbo is a plan for Disney's classic animation reboot, but it has taken a completely different route from the previous ones.
The plot and settings of the previous works are basically based on the classic cartoons. But Dumbo almost created a script based on the IP setting. Personally, I think that on the whole, the film is a relatively successful continuation of the IP image, and the interaction between Dumbo and humans is also vivid and interesting, and there are many surprises. From a pure market point of view, this film has done a good job of completing the task: strengthening the IP image, the market return is consistent with expectations, and a relatively good viewing experience (3d effect is good).
Tim Burton is known as a genius, and his films always reveal a strong sense of weirdness. And in this atmosphere, his own unique sense of humor will be reflected from time to time. This is the director's unique craftsmanship based in Hollywood, and it is also a well-known golden sign.
The idea of this film is more considering children, so it is completely understandable that it does not show a particularly obvious dark style. The director's own characteristics are more revealed through his wicked sense of humor:
Pulling the circus locomotive at the beginning, the chic steam hole seems to have been laughing at the mechanical monster, and even a bit of a spoof of Willie's steamboat.
The main scene in the second half of the film is Happy Paradise. Looking at the operation mode of this kindergarten park, without the elements of steam machinery, it is completely talking about Disney. This is not a hint but an explicit (don't know what Disney will think after getting the sample).
There are various so-called monsters in the House of Horrors in Happy Paradise, but they are all created after makeup on the basis of living creatures. The products of these cottages have a bit of a strong sense of humor, reminding me of the strange and deceptive exhibitions of the world's biological wonders that often appeared on the streets when I was a child.
All of these bad tastes do not deeply interfere with the theme of the film. But it fully reflects the director's style. Personally, I think this design is quite delicate.
As far as the story goes, it's a natural progression. After all, it is a film mainly aimed at children's audiences, and the plot is relatively simple and easy to understand. But at the same time, the problem is that the facialization of characters is too serious. For example, the image of the villain is relatively flat: when the villain sees Dumbo Fei, he can't help but say a sentence, which reminds me of my childhood. . . It proves that this person is not a complete bastard, and has a pure past. But the plot's digging of this character doesn't stop there. What emerges in the end is a typical Tim Burton film villain: an arrogant, self-serving conspirator.
I personally think that the biggest advantage of the film is that the IP of Dumbo is placed in a special interpersonal relationship in a special historical environment, so that the connotation of the IP breaks through the previous fairy tales and has a stronger practical significance and It is even more empathetic, and this is not seen in the traditional Dumbo IP that appears in the image of a fairy tale:
Bumbo is different. Dumbo is naturally different from other baby elephants. This is related to the role of the father who lost his arm in the war. They are all relatively inferior to their own bodies that are not mainstream;
Benbao yearns for freedom and family. Dumbo has been imprisoned since birth and forced to perform to make money. This has something to do with a sister who sees the circus as a prison cage; Dumbo's innocent, lively and innocent personality is a bit like a younger brother;
Stupid treasure is a golden sign. The heroine is similar to the situation after Dumbo became famous. They are both money-making tools for the villains to show off their abilities and social status.
Therefore, everyone's interpretation of their own life can be found in Dumbo, and everyone hopes to help Dumbo to obtain salvation in terms of their spiritual personality. All sisters and brothers feel the same way about what happened to Dumbo. And they have been helping selflessly, and the male and female protagonists who have already become social people are also willing to abandon their vested interests and send Dumbo back to their mother's side.
And the emotion shown in the film reached its peak when Dumbo was reunited with his mother and the male protagonist's family.
The plot in the beginning of the film is relatively slow, but the ending part is relatively hasty. This is also a flaw in the film. I still don't understand why the villain insists on doing this when he knows that tampering with the controller will destroy the entire theater. At that point in the plot, the crazy character should not appear in the villain-like character.
Whether it was because of the unreasonable madness of the villain or the ulterior motives of the creator, the great paradise was finally destroyed. Perhaps in Tim Burton's mind, modern facilities represented by technology, sound and light and high technology cannot bring people real happiness. Therefore, in the ending, the performance finally returned to the countryside, to the most simple and unpretentious mode. And Dumbo returned to his hometown, enjoying real freedom and happiness with his mother.
Freedom, plainness, and contentment may be the true meaning of happiness.
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