Most critics take Fantasia 2000 as a respectable follow-up to the original: lighter, shorter and more polished, if less ambitious. The praise clusters on the animation itself. Reviews single out the graceful blend of computer imagery with hand-drawn work, the flying whales in “Pines of Rome”, the gleefully silly flamingos, and above all the Steadfast Tin Soldier segment, which even the film’s detractors admire. Several find it entertaining for children and adults alike.
The reservations gather around weight and framing. Several critics find the anthology too lightweight to deliver the impact of the original, and the celebrity introductions are a recurring complaint, described as distracting or self-congratulating. The spread is wide, running from strongly positive to dismissive. Empire calls it more successful than the original but not worth the long wait. The Guardian finds the cartoons dull and poorly matched to the music, while Eye for Film finds the sentimentality overbearing yet still credits the artistry of the shorts.