After a limited theatrical release in July, Bambi: The Reckoning is now available to watch on digital exclusively from Amazon, with ITN distributing the film. ITN is also responsible for the distribution of other 'Twisted Childhood Universe' films such as Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and its sequel Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2. Bambi: The Reckoning is the latest entry in this cinematic universe of classic Disney characters turned grim thanks to public domain laws. The film was also produced with the production company Jagged Productions.
Bambi: The Reckoning follows a mother and son who, after a car crash, find themselves hunted by the mutated and vengeful deer, Bambi. The film stars Roxanne McKee (TV’s Game of Thrones),
Samira Mighty (TV’s Love Island), Nicola Wright (Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2), Russell Geoffrey Banks (Who’s Watching Oliver) and Tom Mulheron (TV’s Slow Horses). The film also shares the same producing and executive producing team as Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey with Rhys Frake-Waterfield and Scott Chambers as producers and Stuart Alson and Nicole Holland as executive producers respectively.
The 'Twisted Childhood Universe' expands with each new film and looks to be building up to a big Avengers: Endgame esc climax, which I for one can't wait to see.
Having watched the film during its limited theatrical run, I can confidently say that Bambi: The Reckoning is the best entry in this franchises cinematic universe thus far. The film doesn't just leave you vicious murders and gut covered deer antlers (though there is a lot of that) it also brings commentary on environmental waste and deforestation, animal cruelty and general family bonds that make it standout not just in its own cinematic universe, but with the overall genre movement of public domain Disney characters gone psycho, with the only other one comparable in quality being Fuzz on the Lens' 'Screamboat' earlier this year.
The film's cast brought standout performances, namely McKee and Mulherton, and of course the kills were brutal, as one would expect from a murderous mutant deer. The film had its share of spotty CGI, but overall I found it to be a good watch. While the IP-sploitation genre has had it's share of misses, this one stuck the landing.
Will you be checking out Bambi: The Reckoning on Amazon? Or did you catch it on its theatrical run? Wanna read our full review of Bambi: The Reckoning? Give it a read here!