By: Ashley Chen
★★★½
Winnie the Pooh is one of the most beloved Disney characters, and his debut on the big screen is long overdue. Coming to life from A.A. Milne’s book, Winnie the Pooh, voiced by voice actor Jim Cummings, is back with his friends Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore.
Christopher Robin follows its protagonist Christopher, portrayed by Ewan McGregor, many years after he leaves the Hundred Acre Woods to attend boarding school. He does not return for many years, leaving Pooh to wait for him. Meanwhile, Christopher grows up, joins the army during World War II, and eventually gets married. He cannot get his life in order, and risks losing his family over his job. However, Winnie the Pooh and his friends are there to help Christopher. They leave the Hundred Acre Wood and go to London to be with Christopher, causing chaos along the way.
Overall, the film did not disappoint. Live-action remakes are not always the best, since they often fail to capture the feeling of the original cartoon or movie. It was doubtful that such a movie could create a cute, cuddly Pooh. However, Christopher Robin succeeded and managed to keep a lot of the aspects of the original cartoon. It was hard not to feel a bit nostalgic after watching the movie.
The plot was a bit slow at times. It was evident that parts of the movie served as time-fillers to drag out the suspense. This distracted from the aspect of the film that mattered the most: Christopher Robin and Pooh’s friendship. Christopher and Pooh have a relationship that is incomparable to others; they have been there for each other through thick and thin. After being separated for many years, they eventually find their way back to each other. The movie did a wonderful job of capturing that relationship, and the audience responded well to that.
If you want to see your childhood come to life in a cute and touching movie, go and watch Christopher Robin. You will probably shed a few tears, but it will be worth your time.