Plot Summary: After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.

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Director: Jon Favreau

Writer: Jeff Nathanson (screenplay by), Brenda Chapman (story)

Runtime: 1 hr 58 min

Main Cast:

• JD McCrary as Young Simba (voice)
• Shahadi Wright Joseph as Young Nala (voice)
• Donald Glover as Simba (voice)
• Beyoncé as Nala (voice)
• Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar (voice)
• John Oliver as Zazu (voice)
• James Earl Jones as Mufasa (voice)
• John Kani as Rafiki (voice)
• Alfre Woodard as Sarabi (voice)
• Seth Rogen as Pumbaa (voice)
• Billy Eichner as Timon (voice)

Review by: Erika T

The Lion King is a roaring good time.  Expect some laughs, expect some tears, expect some awe at the quality of effects and talent that helps bring it all together. 

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I’ve been excited about this one since its Super Bowl trailer debut. I was already on the brink of tears watching one of my favorite movies come to life in a way that’s a bit different from the current string of live action adaptations, and that was just a trailer.  So expectations had probably never been higher, but Disney was up for the task. 

What I liked: There is a lot to like here.  On top of the effects, I was very pleased with the casting choice.  Everyone, from Beyonce to John Oliver are fully vested in their characters which really helped all of it come to life. Bringing James Earl Jones back was honestly the only way to go about doing this.  It adds another layer of integrity that can make or break viewer investment. 

It is yet another Disney film that you can see and enjoy in IMAX quality.  It is seemingly the best way to view it, especially considering the background and scenery, fully immersing the viewer into that world.  

What I didn’t like:  The pacing of the film. While I know the run time is longer than the original, sometimes the plot still managed to feel a touch rushed. 

The musical numbers were not as good as Aladdin, but they were better than Beauty and the Beast. Seth Rogan in particular I thought was pretty awful at singing (even more than Ernie Sabella), but I’m guessing that was the idea. I was a bit let down for “Be Prepared”, but “The Circle of Life” was well done, probably my favorite of the remakes.  In general, I did like that those who did the voices also sang the songs as well. In the original, the vocalists were different from the voice actors more often than not. 

Beyonce’s original song was solid, if a touch underwhelming.  However, I think the intention was to be understated considering the iconic tracks to the film. It fits in, but doesn’t quite stand out.   

While the CGI is impressive, I can understand that it might not be the cup of tea for everyone. It wasn’t totally perfect all the time and if you want to take a realistic approach, the expressions from the cartoon aren’t going to be the same. So generally that may leave the viewer feeling like they are watching a long nature film with a splash of Look Who’s Talking 2. 

Images Courtesy of IMDB