"The Lion King" is a Musical, and Visual Treat With a Lack of Originality
By: Keaton Marcus
63/100 “sweet/sour”
Eventually, amidst all the Disney remakes, whether their assured or not, the growing studio decided to reboot "The Lion King" with state-of-the-art photorealistic technology and an ensemble voice cast. The musical soundtrack and Timon and Pumbaa steal the show, and can frequently distract audiences from the lack of originality exhibited so fiercely by the original. Jon Favreau, who earned his bones with Disney directing the remake of "The Jungle Book" in 2016, surrenders excellent detail with the visual effects, but can't seem to deliver the same spark as the 1994 box office hit did. So while the 260M production budget was almost completely worth it, audiences still deserved a little better. For audiences anticipating to see the likes of Beyonce, Donald Glover, and even James Earl Jones voice the live-action reboot, the music itself might be enough. However, for fans of the original film that want to see something new, something that hasn't already happened, it's a hard pass.
This retake of the Disney classic does have almost everything money can buy today, looking fantastic on the outside, but not digging deep enough on the inside. Donald Glover and Beyonce have considerable chemistry when it comes to the musical numbers, the big one being "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?", but screenwriter Jeff Nathanson can't seem to find the same groove outside the soundtrack (that he had nothing to do with). However, when all seems lost, Pumbaa and Timon, voiced by Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner come and save the day (well, mostly) with comedic relief. One thing the retake tackles the original for is the energy and laughs put into the CGI'd warthog and meerkat, who also bring splendor to "Hakuna Matata" once again. More importantly, audiences will get to listen to the releasing deep voice of James Earl Jones returning to play Mufasa, Simba's dad. While the script's dramatic elements have no compare to Jones' default performance, nostalgia will be passed on.
The plot, similarly to 1994 original, revolves around Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) attempting to murder his king brother, Mufasa (James Earl Jones) so that he will become the ruler of the animal kingdom. The Shakespearean overtones work, with jealousy becoming a key part of it, but Ejiofor is no Jeremy Irons. This is a major issue, not only does Ejiofor not live up to his predecessor, but audiences are not nearly as entertained with villainy. Continuing predictably, Simba goes and decides to live with Pumbaa and Timon (the best bits in the film), and then the film leads on to the final battle between Scar and Simba. The epicness of the final moments is wonderfully ambitious, and it ends extremely entertaining if only the entire film was that.
The soundtrack is almost identical to the original film, but what this remake get's right is the immense feeling of nostalgia and chills. Right from the beginning, when "The Circle of Life" began, audiences already knew they were in for a musical treat. Furthermore, the powerful "I Just Can't-Wait to Be King" and "Hakuna Matata" both soar high with visual splendor, incredible voice acting and a good sense of boldness that the non-musical part of the film seldom achieved. One bit of originality that I would give credit to the live-action remake is Beyonce's new song, titled "Searching At the Stars" which gives new life to the film, and diverts from the same old songs played in the original animated film. Right before the spark, we come to adult Simba and Nala's duet, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" which already is a powerful romantic song, but Glover and Beyonce have wonderfully synched voices that deliver the right power to the song. Yes, the music is something to take pride in, and I wouldn't be surprised if Beyonce's new addition wins an Oscar later this year, and the pure force of the soundtrack is just enough to prowl the theater away from the same old same old type plotting.
The final verdict is: Disney's remake of "The Lion King" lacks originality or a compelling screenplay--but the photorealistic special effects, the musical soundtrack, and lot’s of Favreau's signature comedic bits shine in an otherwise mixed bag of a film...STREAM IT
By: Keaton Marcus
Opening Weekend: 191.7m
Domestic Total: 510.6m (still in release)
Worldwide Total: 1.508 billion (still in release)
Related Films:
Aladdin (2019), 70/100 “sweet/sour”