Original 2006 DVD cover
Bambi II, originally known as Bambi and the Great Prince of the Forest, is a 2006 American animated drama film directed by Brian Pimental and produced by the Australian office of DisneyToon Studios, animation production by DisneyToon Studios Sydney, Australia and Toon City Animation, Inc., Manila, Philippines, that initially premiered in theaters in Argentina on January 26, 2006, before being released as a direct-to-video title in the United States on February 7, 2006. It is a midquel to the 1942 animated classic, Bambi, and holds the world record for the longest span of time between two consecutive installments of a franchise, being released 64 years after the original film came out in 1942.
Plot[]
After his mother is dead, Bambi bumps into the Great Prince, who takes him to the den. The Great Prince asks Friend Owl to find a doe to raise Bambi, but Friend Owl tells him that the does can barely feed themselves. The Great Prince has to take care of Bambi for a while.
Sometime later, the Great Prince allow Bambi to be with Thumper and Flower. At the groundhog ceremony, Bambi meets up with Faline. The Groundhog is coaxed out of his hole, only to be scared back in by Ronno, who tries to impress Faline with stories of his encounter with Man. When Bambi believes the story, Ronno is about to fight the deer until he is called away by his mother.
When the others leave, Bambi falls asleep waiting for his father. He wakes up to what appears be his mother's voice, which calls him into a meadow, but it turns out to be an ambush by Man. The Great Prince comes to Bambi's rescue and both of them escape, but Bambi is yelled at for endangering himself. Days later, Bambi informs Thumper and Flower about his wish to impress his father. They decide to help Bambi be brave, but while doing so, they encounter a porcupine who sticks his quills into Bambi's backside. Ronno and Faline, hearing the commotion, investigate; Bambi gets into a fight with Ronno when he sees him bothering Faline. Ronno chases him and Thumper through the forest until Bambi leaps to safety over a large ravine. The Great Prince, having seen the whole thing, is impressed by this feat.
The next day, Thumper encourages Bambi to talk to the Great Prince, and the two connect. The Great Prince allows Bambi to come along with him on his patrols, and as the two get closer, Friend Owl approaches them and introduces them to Mena, a doe that he has selected as Bambi's new mother. Bambi realizes the Great Prince had planned on sending him away and snaps at his father, while the Great Prince concludes that he is not meant to raise Bambi. Bambi sadly accepts the change.
On the way to Mena's den, Ronno shows up to taunt Bambi again. The two get into another fight that sets off one of Man's traps, alerting Man. Bambi saves Mena by leading Man's dogs away from her, and the Great Prince arrives. The dogs chase Bambi, and his friends help him fend them off. Bambi evades all but one of the dogs. Bambi kicks the other dog off a cliff, but falls off as well. Everyone grieves him until Bambi reveals he is still alive, and he and the Great Prince reconcile.
Sometime later, Thumper shares his version of the chase with the rest of his friends, and Bambi, whose antlers have just grown in, enjoys the tall tale with Faline. Ronno appears and vows vengeance on both of them, until he is bitten on the nose and runs off. Bambi meets up with the Great Prince, who shows him the field where he first met his mother.
Why It's Better Than The Fox and the Hound 2[]
- The film is correctly advertised as a sequel.
- Creative storyline that continues where the first film left off.
- Much like The Fox and the Hound 2, this film contains smooth hand-drawn animation using digital ink and paint.
- Good voice acting.
- Good grasp of the source material.
- This film contains a fair share of comedic and dramatic moments, much like Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning.