Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey

The classic name we all know and love is back in an all new film, but this time he isn’t on the search for honey. The original Winnie the Pooh has recently stepped into the public domain, making it free for everyone. Jagged Edge Production took advantage of this right away. On February 15, 2023, the studio released their new take on the Winnie the Pooh series, turning the cute cuddly bear into a cold blooded killer. 

The plot follows Pooh, Piglet, and the rest of our friends from the Hundred Acre Woods (which don’t appear after the opening scene), who, after being abandoned by Christopher Robin for years, lose their sanity and resort to cannibalism. They then swear upon their hatred for humans and become murderous monsters, aiming to seek revenge on their former friend. What comes next is a series of gruesome slaughters upon a group of college students on a group trip. So not too much in the plot department.

Despite how entertaining the concept of innocent childhood characters turned crazed killers could have been, the movie has too many flaws that can’t be overlooked. The most pressing issue being that the film plays it too seriously. For a movie with as ridiculous of a premise as this, it takes the route of a typical slasher horror movie that relies too much on the popular name. Remove it, and all that’s left is one dimensional characters being butchered for nearly an hour and a half.

Another aspect that’s been facing criticism is the writing and performances. Many of the lines feel unnaturally written and come out forced. And this problem isn’t helped by the cast, who give the script with a monotonous delivery and unconvincing acting. None of the characters are discernible from one another, with no development or even character traits to be found. These make every scene that doesn’t rely on action drag on and be boring to watch through. 

Credit where it’s due, there is some good to be found from this movie. Many of the effects are presented surprisingly well, especially with the given budget of just $100,000. The lighting is a bit hit or miss, with some scenes being shrouded in too much shadow to tell what’s happening, but most of the time it enhances the horror moments. And many of the scenes are shot with well done angles that create a truly unnerving feeling. Together, these produce great cinematography in, especially shots with the killers slowly stalking the main cast, which manage to create a tense sequence. And this is elevated with the designs of our animal killers, most notably with Pooh. While the characters from the original Winnie the Pooh books have become usable for all, the iconic red shirt still belongs to Disney. To work around this, the studio gave their killer a red flannel and overalls, which are simple changes that work so well. This partnered with the hollowed out eye sockets make him an unsettling threat.

Overall, this movie falls flat in too many categories to possibly consider a good movie. It depends on the big name a little too much, and the plot is lacking heavily. However, it has just enough good to enjoy with friends when not taken seriously. After the box office success of $4 million, a sequel is already in the works with a higher budget. You can watch Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey on streaming services.