Disney has been putting most of their effort into remakes for the past several years, and it's really starting to get old. Actually, it's been old for a while. Here's why.
1. 2D Animation Ages Better Than CG
Look at any CG film that's older than a few years and the effect starts to show its age. However, films like Snow White which have been around since the 1930s still look great, even when they're not digitally remastered.
The problem with CG animation is that it's often used to create photorealistic objects, and attempts at photorealism must flirt with the uncanny valley before they are perfected. There's a good chance we'll never be able to perfect CG technology. Therefore, many of these reboots will age worse than their originals.
2. The Disney Vault Already Exists
The point of the reboots is supposedly to introduce classic Disney films to a new generation. However, we already have things like the Disney vault. Classic Disney films go in and out of the Vault on a regular basis so it's not like they're impossible to find.
The classics don't need to be "updated" for today's children to enjoy them. There's nothing about traditional animation that makes it impossible for children to comprehend or appreciate. Most TV shows nowadays have 2D animation and a surprising number of them are at least partially hand drawn.
3. The Things They Change Don’t Make Sense
Some of the reboots did change the original for the better or add a new perspective, such as The Jungle Book, but there are other reboots that make changes that didn't need to be made.
For example, Cinderella added a lot of backstory that was unnecessary and made the movie feel cluttered. And Beauty and the Beast added an inexplicable teleporting book that didn't fit with anything that had been previously established.
4. Disney Movies Are Supposed To Be Timeless
Disney has built up an image over the years. They are known for creating stories that stand the test of time. Children today enjoy the same Disney movies their parents and grandparents enjoyed when they were the same age.
That's what makes Disney movies special, and that's why seeing them put so much focus on these reboots is baffling and frustrating.
5. Disney Can Afford To Take Risks
Disney has made animation history ever since it first started. It's always breaking new ground when it comes to what can be done with film and television. It's now a multibillion-dollar company that owns a lot of major franchises.
Disney is not in desperate need of money. It doesn't have to play it safe when it comes to the financial success of movies. So why does it seem like they're playing it safe with the reboots? True, they're basically printing money because there are enough diehard Disney fans to fill theaters on opening night, but while they may be successful in that way, they end up being forgettable in the long run.
Times are changing and we need new stories that reflect those changes, but we shouldn't impose those changes on stories that are already perfectly fine the way they are. For a company that preaches the importance of imagination, these repetitive reboots are hypocritical.
