Leave Nostalgia at the door, The Lion King is everything that is wrong with Disney’s “live action” remakes,
The Upside:
The special effects are quite impressive. Animals truly look realistic (until they start talking), and the detail in the environments is incredible. It also carries on with the classic songs from the original, that are all performed with competency from the new cast. James Earl Jones comes back to hit us all with nostalgia, and Seth Rogan and Billy Eichner are a solid pair as Timon and Pumbaa.
The Downside:
Once the initial wonder of the detailed special effects wares off, the settings all seem very dull. Everything blends into bland mixtures of green and brown, especially in comparison to the bright pastel colors of the 90’s original. The animals themselves also look emotionless, and the lack of expression does not bode well with the voice acting, which also leaves a lot to be desired (with the exception of the individuals listed above). Most of the voice acting sounds mundanely read off the script without inflection, making the entire movie seem stale. It also relies too heavily on looking realistic, which strips it of all of the colorful settings and creative choreography of the original.
The Verdict:
The lack of color, lack of emotion, and overcommitment to realistic visuals create a dull, uninteresting, and ultimately disappointing final product. Of the Disney live action remakes, The Lion King ends up being one of, if not THE, worst that Disney has released.
The High Point: The opening sequence (Still a banger)
The Low Point: Dull environments and settings.
3/10
FlickFix 