'BAMBI: THE RECKONING' HAS BITE

The Public Domain's reign of horror continues as'BAMBI: THE RECKONING' hits theaters July 25th, 2025.

Part of what is deemed the Twisted Childhood Universe (Or TCU if you're nasty), joining Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey, it's sequel, and most recently Peter Pan's Neverland Nightmare.

After a mother and son get in a car wreck, they soon become hunted by Bambi, a mutated deer. The grief-stricken creature embarks on a rampage seeking revenge for the death of his mother.

As the ever-growing Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU), or "Poohniverse," continues to churn out reimagined nightmares of our childhood icons, Dan Allen steps forward with the first true creature feature in this twisted saga. Forget the idea of a talking, bipedal, humanized Bambi; in Bambi: The Reckoning, the once-innocent fawn returns as a terrifying, four-legged monster—silent, relentless, and wreaking havoc across the English countryside.

Before the chaos fully unfolds, the film takes a moment to establish its reimagined origins through a gritty, animated prologue that gives a quick rundown of Bambi's new, blood-soaked backstory. From there, the film wastes little time getting into the carnage. The first real victims are introduced as a mother (Roxanne McKee) and her curious young son (Tom Mulheron), who meet a brutal end at the hooves of the murderous buck. They barely escape with their lives, only to warn their family members, who are conveniently all gathered together in one location, setting the stage for a bloodbath.

The human characters aren't exactly memorable, but they do serve their purpose as fodder for Bambi’s rampage. From a wise, elderly matriarch who senses the impending danger to a group of hunters tracking the savage creature, there’s never a dull moment. It feels like there's always someone nearby for Bambi to trample, gut, or tear apart. And Bambi isn't the only threat lurking in the woods—Bambi: The Reckoning also tosses in a certain thumping sidekick that’s ready to join in the slaughter, nodding to Disney’s original Bambi in the most gruesome way possible.

What sets Bambi: The Reckoning apart from its TCU predecessors is its simplicity. It's a fun, straightforward ride that's both absurd and serious at the same time. While the film doesn't shy away from the more obvious exploitation of childhood nostalgia, it delivers a solid dose of ecological horror, mixing carnage with a touch of commentary. One particular thematic layer, reflecting on the neglect of a child (symbolized through Bambi's troubled upbringing), is present but never overstated. The focus here is on the gore, and it delivers in spades.

The biggest draw of the film is Bambi himself—a feral, terrifying creature who goes on an uninterrupted killing spree. The kills come fast and furious, with only brief pauses between for you to catch your breath. What’s impressive is how calculated some of these deaths are, offering a level of precision that elevates the film from typical slasher fare. One sequence even mirrors the tension of Scream (1996), as Bambi hunts down a helpless victim in a lawn chase that feels straight out of the Ghostface playbook.

As with most films in the TCU, Bambi: The Reckoning leans heavily on CGI, but surprisingly, it works. The dark, ominous forest setting helps mask any noticeable flaws in the visual effects, and what we get is a striking, nightmarish version of Bambi. This isn’t your typical low-budget animal horror creature—it’s an unsettling and impressive sight, flaws and all.

While the plot doesn’t offer any shocking twists (it’s basically the premise of "a monster hunting humans in the woods" stretched over a feature-length runtime), Bambi: The Reckoning still manages to stand out as the most satisfying entry in the Twisted Childhood Universe so far. It delivers on its promises with brutal efficiency and a surprising amount of style, making it the best TCU film to date.