--- title: "Dumbo: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/dumbo/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/dumbo" critics_score: 86 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dumbo (1941): what the critics said Critics' score 86 from 11 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are unanimous in their approval, and the praise gathers in the same few places. Nearly every critic singles out the Pink Elephants on Parade sequence, admiring how far Disney’s animators are allowed to go inside an otherwise gentle story. Dumbo himself, who never speaks, is repeatedly credited as an unusually expressive character, and several critics point to the separation of mother and son as the moment that does the emotional work. The short runtime is mentioned often, and always as a virtue. The reservations are minor and the spread is narrow. Variety, reviewing on release, finds slow spots and an episodic shape. The New Yorker regards it as light and conventional, succeeding at modest aims rather than large ones. Eye for Film recalls the film upsetting them as a child and notes elements that sit uneasily now, though they still recommend it. Nobody dislikes it. ## Slant Magazine — Rob Humanick Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 21 September 2011. The critic calls Dumbo a masterpiece and the greatest animated movie ever made, praising its emotional precision, expressive character animation, simple yet profound storytelling, and ability to evoke real human feelings through modest means. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/dumbo-2097/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic calls the film the most underrated of Walt Disney's cartoon features and one of the most timelessly perfect in the backlist. They single out Dumbo's mute but highly expressive character and the psychedelic 'Pink Elephants on Parade' sequence for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dumbo-review/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 April 2002. The critic praises Dumbo as one of the best classic-era Disney features and one of the best animated films from any studio, highlighting its emotional depth, sympathy for the outcast protagonist, and technical achievements like the Pink Elephants sequence. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/dumbo-dvd-1798197118) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 1941. The critic finds Dumbo the most satisfying Disney film since Pinocchio, calling it enchanting and perfectly paced at 65 minutes. They single out the character of Timothy Mouse for particular praise as a complete and rounded figure. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/dec/21/featuresreviews.guardianreview) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 October 1941. The critic finds the film a winsome, sentimental delight that touches the heart more successfully than Disney's prior features. The pink elephants sequence and the story of the lovable hero overcoming ridicule stand out as highlights. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1941/10/24/archives/walt-disneys-cartoon-dumbo-a-fanciful-delight-opens-at-the-broadway.html) ## Time Out — SG Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2014. Praises it as one of the best of Disney's animated features. Singles out the unforgettable characters and magisterial artwork, especially the aerial views, big top erection in a storm, and pink elephants sequence. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/dumbo) ## The New Yorker — John C. Mosher Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 1941. The review calls the film a charming, light, and colorful thing in Disney's most facile style. It succeeds in all it aims to do as an unobtrusive, conventional long film focused on the baby elephant's gift of flight. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1941/10/25/1941-10-25-084-tny-cards-000009959) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1940. The review praises the pleasant story, pathos mixed with humor, appealing characters, good music, and Disney technique. It notes defects including some slow spots and an episodic nature. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1940/film/reviews/dumbo-1200413586/) ## Collider — Luc Haasbroek Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2026. The critic praises Dumbo as one of the most timeless Disney classics and a gentle fable about acceptance and self-belief. They single out its emotional directness, particularly the heartbreaking mother-son sequence, and the daring, surreal 'Pink Elephants on Parade' animation. [Read the review](https://collider.com/best-1941-movies-classics/) ## Eye for Film — Max Blinkhorn Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2004. The critic recalls being upset by the film as a child but now appreciates its dark themes of bullying and persecution, praising its stylish execution, avant-garde camera angles, and the Pink Elephants sequence, while noting its charm and perfect pace despite some disturbing and politically incorrect elements. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/dumbo-film-review-by-max-blinkhorn) ## Polygon — Josh Spiegel Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 February 2023. The critic notes Dumbo succeeded as a pleasant little story that rescued the studio financially after Fantasia's issues. They highlight its experimental yet palatable style, short runtime, and iconic elements like the psychedelic pink elephants sequence. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/23578363/disney-animated-classics-fantasia-dumbo/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/dumbo.md