Loved it

I just watched it for the first time last night with my mom. When the movie first came out I didn't think I was going to like it. I like Tim Burton stuff but I just wasn't feeling it. After watching it, I really enjoyed the interpretation of it. It reminded me of an old fashioned kids movie like a Free Willy or a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I thought the style wasn't over the top Tim Burton. The cast was great and I did like that Disney didn't go for a shot by shot remake of Dumbo; they let it be it's own story.

There were a few spots, if I wanted to be critical I would have liked to see different. I wish there had been time for a little more with the dad and his lost arm. That is a really traumatic event and he never seemed to struggle with the idea that he may never ride again. In the end, he jumps on that horse and has no problems so it didn't feel as earned or as big a moment as it could have been if we had seen a little more struggle prior.

Same with the arm. I knew he would have a mechanical arm by the end of the movie. But I don't think they ever showed who gave it/made it for him. Would have been cool if Millie had made him something as she was the wanna be scientist. They kept building up her wanting to do stuff like that but if felt more like the 'girl power' check box instead of something meaningful. It wasn't a bad thing; I just think that was a missed opportunity for expand the family dynamic between father and daughter.

And finally, I am not sure how I liked the ending with Dumbo and his mother in the jungle at the end. Now, I get that it is modern times and they wanted to have a message about not having circus animals and freeing the animals and all that. But for the ending of this movie it just didn't fit for me. I would have loved them being set free but in the end Dumbo coming back 'of his own will' to fly in the 'family' circus. I said I am happy this movie didn't follow the cartoon shot by shot but loved the ending of the cartoon where Mrs. Jumbo get's her own spiffy train and Dumbo is loved and accepted by the people and the circus. It was such an earned and satisfying ending and I would have loved to have seen that here. Again, the ending is fine and modern sensibilities called for the 'free dumbo' ending. But I would have preferred him being with the circus company on his own terms.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this movie and am kinda sorry I didn't see it when it first came out.