Realism Shows Animated Lion King is the Real Ruler
As it is for probably any ’90s child, The Lion King is one of my fondest memories for animated movies. Iconic, from score to animation, to a cast of unique characters that were brought to life by their voice actors in a fun way. It is a struggle for any of Disney’s new live action or photo-realistically rendered movie remakes to compete with the nostalgic emotion felt from the originals. However, I am happy to say the remake of The Lion King, while it doesn’t get the lion’s share, still deserves praise. Spoilers abound for both films.
The story, for those unfamiliar, follows the life of Simba, a lion cub prince, the son of Mufasa, the current king of Pride Rock. From being presented to the animals of the Pride Lands, to misadventures with his best friends, we watch him go from a boasting brat with a cheerful demeanor to a more mature, courageous king. The process is arduous for him. Simba loses his father to his regicidal uncle, Scar; is then exiled from his loved ones after being accussed murder; is adopted by the meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa and raised among herbivores.Then with a final push from best friend/love interest Nala and the wise counsel of Rafiki he returns home to fight for his kingdom.
The wonder of this remake will keep you transfixed. The visual effects and soundtrack are to die for. The CG animation from the Moving Picture Company and motion capture brings the animals and scenery to life in a way that is all too real. With the shot-for-shot accuracy they went for, it feels like taking the original and putting it through Unreal Engine software.
With Hans Zimmer and Elton John returning for the music, you can be sure none of your favorites are missing — unless you’ve seen the Broadway show, then you may be saddened with a sense of what could have been. There are musical oddities in the film, mainly the placement of Beyonce’s new song, “Spirit,” which feels out of place. It’s also hard not to mention that one of the best villain songs, “Be Prepared,” was changed in a way that can both still give you that sinister shudder, but make you yearn for the voice-box-blowing original (thank you Jeremy Irons for your sacrifice). “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” is beautiful and enchanting, “The Circle of Life” will make your eyes swell with tears, and the score helps carry you through the film.
Amazing voice cast
Disney did line up an all-star cast, including the return of James Earl Jones as the only voice of Mufasa we ever need. Donald Glover (Simba), Beyoncé Knowles (Nala), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon), John Oliver (Zazu), Alfre Woodard (Sarabi), Shahadi Wright Joseph (Young Nala), JD McCrary (Young Simba), Florence Kasumba (Shenzi), Keegan-Michael Key (Kamari) and Eric André (Azizi) come forward to bring these characters to life once again. Maybe it was the added depth or extra material, but the secondary cast felt flawless. Chitwetel’s Scar has a different venom to him with an added bit of backstory to give his goals more weight. Zazu never lacked a personality, but you can develop more affection toward him and his quips this time. Nala and Shenzi were both given more screen time and importance as the generals to Simba and Scar, respectively, while maintaining their own goals throughout the story. The gold stars of this film, however, are Timon and Pumbaa. For a couple of grub eaters they slay all the lions. The fun chemistry between these two is what will keep you laughing. Just imagining the possibility of The Lion King 1½ remade puts a smirk on my face.
There are moments where the realistic nature of the animals and environment may be a negative, but as most forms of art, that depends on the viewer. The small moments of ants and beetles and fur in the wind are beautiful detailed shots that you’d expect to see on Planet Earth. There are moments that feel stunted because of this. “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” is still fun, with a lot of playful animal interactions, but none of the comedy or color you’ll remember from the original.
The talking and expressive moments are harder to convey. With realistic animal features comes the limited color schemes as well. Unless you pay close attention to certain defining features you can confuses Nala and Sarabi, or even Shenzi and the other hyenas. The moment of Simba seeing Mufasa’s reflection in his own or in the clouds doesn’t impact as hard when little shifts beyond a mane change. The most expressive you get are the young versions of Simba and Nala, who are both a joy to watch interact on screen.
In a change of pace the first act of this movie grabbed my attention more than the original with Young Simba’s adventure through his homeland. Adult Simba’s journey, however, feels stronger in 2D. You can still feel a small emotional tug, but never the pull you expect. This film will never be the one I would show first to the younger generation, as much as I enjoyed the ride. The 1994 classic remains king.
I give The Lion King (2019) (Walt Disney Studios, PG, 118 minutes) a 3 out of 5.
