It May Be Stunning, But ‘Lion King’ Remake Falls A Bit Short Of The Original
Starring Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Oliver, James Earl Jones, Keegan-Michael Key, Eric André, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Amy Sedaris, Chance the Rapper
Rated PG
Animation
Run time: 1 hr, 58 min
Directed by Jon Favreau
In theaters July 19, 2019
When I found out that there was going to be a new Lion King, I was all for it. Considering the original cartoon was (and still is) one of my all time favorite movies, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to enjoy this story I’ve loved since I was four. When I saw that Jon Favreau was signed on to direct, I had high hopes. After all, everyone I talked to had nothing but good things to say about the live-action Jungle Book he directed. The cast list is stellar, they’re using the original soundtrack as a basis, and the first time I saw baby Simba in a trailer, I audibly “awwwwwed.” I was on board. However, I feel like it fell short of my too-high expectations.
The plot is exactly like you remember: Hamlet with lions. There are sections of the movie that are basically beat-for-beat copies of the original, but in the best way The opening number is awe-inspiring as you watch animals that appear real journeying to Pride Rock. Tiny Simba is one of the most adorable creatures to ever grace a big screen. Hearing James Earl Jones still providing the voice for Mufasa sent chills down my spine. Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen turned out to be the perfect duo to step into the shoes of Timon and Pumbaa (even if there were a few fourth-wall-breaking moments that didn’t totally work for me). The things that are good about this remake are incredibly good, but there are a few things that made me pause and wonder just why we were getting a live action film that no one seemed to really ask for.
One of my absolute favorite things about the first iteration of this movie is the music. The score, the original songs, the vocals, everything. I remember having three or four cassettes that were solely Lion King soundtracks and scores. This new version alternates between identical renditions of the songs we know and love and what almost seem like remixes in a way. “Circle of Life” and “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” are word for word perfect, complete with gorgeous scenes that lined up beautifully. However, this movie’s takes on “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Be Prepared” left a lot to be desired and made me wish I was watching the original rather than the movie right in front of me on the screen.
One thing I’m confused by is how this movie is thirty minutes longer when a lot of my favorite scenes and lines ended up cut from the version that headed to theaters. Some of the dialogue I remember cracking up at ever since I was a toddler ended up on the cutting room floor. Obviously some aspects of the cartoon would not translate well to the live-action interpretation, so some slack definitely needs to be cut for it. However, one of the things that still bothers me after having seen this movie twelve hours prior is how much Zazu and Rafiki are sidelined, almost as if they were featured extras rather than main members of the cast. All in all, this latest Disney reboot is worth a view on the big screen, but I see more repeat viewings of the original more so than this one in my future.