A Reel Review: THE LION KING

Disney’s photorealistic “live-action” remake of one of their biggest films of all time, THE LION KING, is their third such re-do of their animated classics in 2019. These second-tries with new skins have proven to be money-makers with varying degrees of critical success; earning dollars on name alone and occasionally offering something new or relevant to the story for old fans and newcomers. It’s been an interesting study of form and content, with filmmakers trying to find that right balance. 

Simba (Donald Glover and JD McCrary), a young lion crown prince of the Pride Lands, flees his homeland after the death of his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones), which was engineered by his uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejofor). Simba finds a new home and new friends Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner), and Pumbaa the warthog (Seth Rogen), before being found by his childhood friend Nala (Beyonce Knowles-Carter)…and is torn between staying put or returning to the Pride Lands to face his destiny. 

Neither audiences or filmmakers seem to know exactly what to do with these live-action remakes. Stick to close to the original, and it becomes pointless. Take some risks and make a whole lotta changes, and it’s considered to be a betrayal to the original. Director Jon Favreau, who helmed Disney’s recent, most-excellent live-action version of THE JUNGLE BOOK, chooses to take a low-risk, low-reward approach. For the most part, THE LION KING is a shot-for-shot take on the original. The iconic opening sequence is identical, and the plot-points are as well. There are changes here and there in dialogue, a few place-settings, and many scenes are truncated or cut from the old version…but for the most part it is indeed the old story (which functions perfectly), in a new skin. 

And this new skin is astonishing. Created with digital imagery and virtual reality techniques, the animals and environments, ranging from jungles to deserts…are breathtakingly real. The fine details down to the dirt, bird feathers, and lion’s manes make it seem like a Nat-Geo documentary. There’s also an eye-popping amount of depth to the environments that actually improves on the original. It’s the most convincing CGI we’ve ever seen and is a leap forward for the tech. It’s stunning to see, but it also works against the film. The commitment to realism is so high that the animals simply do not emote. They can’t smile or frown, or show anger or joy, and it sucks the soul out of the story. Even the musical numbers suffer, as no animal is allowed to really dance as they are locked down in reality. Despite this, the movie is still very funny and joyful; Timon and Bumpaa are a blast, and watch out for a fantastic Disney surprise near the climax. 

The musical numbers are mostly note-for-note of the old songs, with Elton John returning to rework his old compositions. Beyonce tosses in a new song titled Spirit which feels out of place. The reworkings of Circle of Life, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight are highlights, and both Hakuna Matata and The Lion Sleeps Tonight is guaranteed to whip the entire theatre into sing-along mode. 

The voice-cast is decent but mostly ho-hum. Donald Glover is a surprise with his singing voice, and Beyonce sounds great. Chiwetel Ejiofor is one of our finest actors but he simply does not sound sinister enough for Scar. Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner are well-cast, and John Kani as Rafiki the shaman/monkey is also very good. James Earl Jones reprises his role as the mighty Mufasa, but he simply does not sound right in places. 

When THE LION KING roared in 1994, it was a step forward for animation, and this version is as well. It would be difficult to find a film that looked more beautiful and jaw-dropping, but it looks so real that the expected and needed “magic” that we need from cinema is missing. That is the thorn in the paw of this film which can roar but has a limp. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it