Bambi: The Reckoning

A mother and her young son are traveling at night when a roadside crash leaves them stranded and shaken. What seems like a random accident turns into a relentless nightmare as a deformed, grieving deer begins to stalk them, driven by an animal's wrath and a distorted sense of loss. The pair scramble through dark back roads and thickets, trying to outpace an enemy that knows the terrain better than they do. Tension builds through long, silent waits and sudden bursts of violence, with the film keeping its focus on survival and the strange, single-minded fury of the creature.

Directed by Dan Allen and released in 2025, the film reworks characters credited to Felix Salten with a new treatment by Rhys Warrington, shifting a familiar forest figure into a modern horror setting.

The movie did not receive recognition from major awards bodies, and there were no headline nominations from the big industry ceremonies, though it has drawn attention within genre circles among viewers and critics.

Turning a beloved pastoral icon into a predator prompted immediate online reaction, with debates about nostalgia and shock value. Viewers traded memes and strong takes on social media, and the film's imagery has been used in discussions about how horror repurposes childhood symbols for darker themes.

Critical response was mixed, reflected in a midrange audience score of 5.555 out of 10 from 110 votes. Reviewers praised certain practical effects and atmosphere while criticizing uneven pacing and character depth. The film keeps grief, revenge, and the unpredictability of nature at its heart, and it often asks whether violent instincts can surface where you least expect them.