SPOILERS DOWN THE PATH; THE DISCUSSION BELOW WILL NOT BE COMPREHENSIVE WITHOUT IT.
TREAD CAREFULLY. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.
A Disney live action adaptation of an animation will definitely tick off the necessary checkboxes. Stunning visuals, expensive production design, out-of-the-world visual effects, pristine colours, you have it all!
Dumbo, our favourite little unique elephant was incredibly recreated! Your attention will always be on him whenever he's onscreen. He's as adorable as much as he was in the 1941 cartoon. Look at the guy grooving to song, attempting to fly and admit that that's the cutest thing you've ever seen in life! His bonding with Ms. Jumbo, seeking to hug his jailed mother with 'Baby Mine' playing in the background and performing with a sad clown makeup on his face were extremely effective emotionally, just like in the original!
It's how much we pity for him that automatically made us rooting for him to succeed! Tim Burton managed to pull off an impressive midpoint sequence where Dumbo is stuck at a height underneath fire! How the situation progressively worsened and pushed Dumbo towards pursuing his Truth for the first time was remarkably written, shot, edited and put together! Every time Dumbo flies, it's magical! Every single time!
The human part of the story sourced mediocrity here. Circus audience unanimously insulting Dumbo may have looked good in animation, but in live action, the scene looked weird, unrealistic and overexaggerated. Granted, the makers were able pull your heartstring during the introduction of Holt (Colin Farrell), a father who reunites with his kids after losing an arm in war. But the same intensity didn't sustain. Nico Parker as the kid girl Milly was more wooden than a plank. Humour didn't work throughout. Final rescue plan was good, but the execution was beyond lame. Mermaid attacking police guards and recreation officers standing on the side doing nothing while watching a baby elephant turning off the electricity switches were utterly ridiculous!
It was definitely nice to see Michael Keaton and his performance as the antagonist V. A. Vandevere. The entire plan of him buying off Medici's (Danny DeVito) circus and laying off the members was a good direction the plot went, albeit being predictable. With a touching climax and fitting resolution, one will be satisfied to know that Dumbo's currently living with his mum in a forest where they rightfully belong, happily ever after.