Expected nothing and was blown away

Rating: 9/10 (23 July 2019)

To counter the lacklustre reception of this movie, I'd like to voice the positive end of the spectrum.
I read a few reviews before going to see it, so my expectations were quite low. My worries were quickly forgotten. Even though I've watched the original countless times, the presentation of this live-action movie immersed me in a world and a story where I forgot I knew it all - not that I ever forgot what would happen next per se, but it never interfered with the story unfolding.
There were enough tweaks and twists coupled with beautiful homages to the original in scenes where realism restricted animal behaviour to keep everything new and fresh while staying true to the original.
I worried that realism would detract from the experience - the funny expressions, the over-the-to scenography and unrealistic settings are without a doubt essential to the original story. Yet, somehow they've managed to recreate the story through almost documentary-like scenes of animals being animals, lifelike characters and the same humour delivered through new jokes. I'm surprised to see others complaining about the lack of life, when I saw nothing but life. It was stunning and believable. They somehow struck the perfect balance between realism and story-telling.