Bambi II

Neither a sequel nor a prequel, the direct-to-video Bambi II parachutes into the middle of the 1942 classic, filling in a big blank in the story as the film begins with Bambi's plaintive cry for his mother, followed by the heartbreaking words of his father, the Great Prince: “Your mother can't be with you anymore.” This sets the stage for the young prince's coming-of-age, echoing The Lion King in Bambi's struggle to be brave and to impress his father (regally voiced by Patrick Stewart), who is emotionally ill-equipped to raise his son. Bambi's forest friends, including Thumper the rabbit, Flower the skunk, and future love interest Faline, have his back. Another fawn, Ronno, whose antlers have started to come in, taunts Bambi and serves as Goofus to Bambi's Gallant. While one misses the original film's sense of wonder and intimately observed animal behavior, Bambi II is impressively animated, with evocatively rendered forest landscapes and changing seasons (in one mildly scary sequence, Bambi hides in the meadow's tall grasses while pursued by Man's dogs, who circle him like sharks). There are haunting echoes of the original film's theme, “Love Is a Song,” and a fleeting reprise of “Let's Sing a Gay Little Spring Song.” The new songs are less impressive but are beautifully performed by Alison Krauss (“There Is Life”) and Martina McBride (“Through Your Eyes”). Younger children, who are Bambi II's primary audience, will enjoy the comic anthropomorphic animal antics, and will relate to Bambi's unsteady first steps as he tries to find his place in the world. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a “Bambi Trivia Tracks” viewing mode option, the nine-minute “making-of” featurette “The Legacy Continues,” the game “Thumper's Hurry & Scurry,” and a “Disney Sketch Pad” in which animator Andreas Deja teaches viewers how to draw Thumper. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a decent direct-to-video film.] (D. Liebenson)[Blu-ray Review—Aug. 30, 2011—Walt Disney, 72 min., G, $39.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2006's Bambi II features a great transfer and DTS-HD 5.1 audio. Blu-ray extras include a popup trivia track, “The Legacy Continues” production featurette (8 min.), “Disney's Sketch Pad” primer on drawing Thumper (4 min.), the “Sing the Day” deleted song (2 min.), four interactive games including “Hurry & Scurry” and “Friend Owl's Fun Forest Games,” a trivia pop-up track, trailers, and a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a welcome Blu-ray debut for a decent sequel.]