Christopher Robin

Released 17th August 2018, Christopher Robin shows us a grown up version of Christopher Robin from A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s Winnie-the-Pooh book series. Being one in the series of live-action remakes of classic Disney properties, Christopher Robin manages to be one of the few which takes the magic of the original and retools it into the different yet suitable setting of Christopher’s adulthood. With the original novels being set in the late 20s/early 30s, Christopher’s life took him through the second world war and subsequently placed the narrative in a post-war society; an idea that could have been expanded more thoroughly but was utilised enough to justify its setting.

Ewan McGregor is able to embody Christopher’s beleaguered mindset; you can still read his childlike sympathy in his eyes whilst perceiving his institutionalised mindset through his physicalisation. While he does have a character arc in regaining his childlike approach to life, many narrative beats are rather explicit in their approach which means that it isn’t quite as provocative as it could be and subsequently befalls a cliched story. Hayley Atwell and Bronte Carmichael are perfectly passable as Christopher’s wife and daughter, just lacking any sufficient depth. Jim Cummings eases right back into the wholesome character of Winnie-the-Pooh by bringing his clueless yet somewhat wise voice to Christopher’s fuzzy-friend. He also gives Tigger the zealous energy we come to expect; an energy which almost redeems his rather rugged design.

Besides Cummings, Brad Garrett as Eeyore is the only other vocal standout of the cast in his entertainingly melancholy vocalisation for the donkey. The film’s visual effects are absolutely phenomenal throughout (even for Disney standards); it helps to make the characters all the more lifelike and cuddlier. However, this lifelike quality is detrimental towards Tigger as he bears a more rugged look which is juxtaposed by his ever-expressive eyes; a look which makes you somewhat uncomfortable at times. Geoff Zanelli and Jon Brion’s soundtrack is fine in underscoring its scenes; if not a little unmemorable. Overall, Christopher Robin manages to be as different as it is familiar with its source material in forging a pleasant enough viewing experience.