Bambi Goes Berserk: Poohniverse Scores First Critical Win with Bloody Horror Reboot

Bambi: The Reckoning is here, and it’s making more noise than anyone expected. The 2025 British horror flick reimagines the classic story of Bambi in the most brutal way yet. Directed by Dan Allen and written by Rhys Warrington, the film is part of the Twisted Childhood Universe (TCU), which is known for turning beloved childhood characters into nightmare fuel.

This time, Bambi isn’t the sweet forest creature we remember. After witnessing his mother’s death, he goes on a violent rampage. The film follows a mother and her son who find themselves in his path. Roxanne McKee stars alongside Tom Mulheron, Nicola Wright, and others, in a cast that brings this bloody tale to life.

Filming kicked off in London in January 2024 and wrapped in just under a month. The movie hit U.S. theaters on July 25, 2025. It’s the fourth entry in the TCU and the first to get mostly positive reactions from critics.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film sits at 71% based on 14 reviews. Over on Metacritic, it has a decent 69% audience score. Critics say it’s a step up from the earlier TCU entries. They liked the improved storytelling, the emotional moments, and the creative use of horror and nostalgia.

Many also praised the film’s practical effects and its decision to keep things visually dark and suspenseful. The CGI was minimal but used well, making the monster moments more effective.

Reviews also mentioned how the movie balances its absurd concept with strong atmosphere. The forest setting feels endless, adding to the tension. Critics say it’s a wild mix of childhood trauma, revenge, and old-school horror vibes, think Cujo meets a twisted fairy tale.

The film’s technical team is a small crew, the end credits were mercifully short, but they achieve good believable work with their CGI, keeping their scenes dark, only revealing the horror creatures when they need to.

Cris Kennedy

Bleak, bloody, and effective eco-horror. This grizzly homage to the cartoon trauma of Bambi’s past should satisfy those who want to enjoy a bloody-fun bastardization of their youth and an exploitation of their childhood traumas.

Stephanie Malone

Bambi: The Reckoning is Cujo for the Brothers Grimm aficionados, one of the strongest additions to the Poohniverse, if not the best so far. It’s B-horror as B-horror should be: bloody, cruel, unflinching, and not concerned with the dramatics.

Jaylan Salah

With a successfully spooky, dreamy atmosphere that lets you believe these inescapable woods go on forever, and a memorable giant murder beast, it’s the best in this cinematic series so far.

Luke Y. Thompson

At a breezy 81 minutes, Bambi: The Reckoning moves along at a healthy pace, leaving little room for the sort of filler that usually troubles such low-budget horror films.

Joel Harley

Bambi: The Reckoning may not be for everyone, but for fans of campy, over-the-top horror, this might just be the best thing the so-called “Poohniverse” has done yet. And considering where it all started, that’s saying something.

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