“The Lion King” (PG)
The cinematic circle of life is now complete with the updated version of “The Lion King,” director Jon Favreau’s visually stunning live action rendering of the 1994 Disney animated classic. Faced with a no-win situation of either changing up the story and certainly facing fan ire or staying faithful to the 25-year-old original, director Jon Favreau took the path of least resistance and went with a virtual shot-by-shot remake of the film, which still felt energized by the photorealistic setting and characters, a winning voice cast and of course, stirring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, as well as the iconic score by Hans Zimmer.
For the uninitiated few who’ve never seen the film on the big screen or video, “The Lion King” tells the story of Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones – the only 1994 cast member to reprise his role), a majestic lion king who is blessed with the birth of his first cub, Simba (JD McCrary). The young lion immediately earns his birthright to become heir of the throne, which a fate Mufasa’s brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), refuses to accept. Staging the cruel death of Mufasa and leading Simba to believe he’s at fault for it, Scar rules the pride with a villainous pack of hyenas by his side, destroying the morale of Mufasa’s queen, Sarabi (Alfre Woodard) and her loved ones and decimating the environment around them.
AUDIO: Hear Tim review “The Lion King” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM. Segment brought to you by Mike Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Meanwhile, Simba, thought dead by Scar, escaped and grew into adulthood thanks to the comical meerkat and warthog duo of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), and once a full grown lion, Simba (Donald Glover) happens upon his childhood friend Nala (Beyonce Knowles-Carter) to learn of the devastation Scar has caused. Returning home to the pride to confess to accident that killed his father, Simba learns who was really responsible for Mufasa’s death, setting up a fight for the throne and a last-ditch effort to save his home.
Despite the fact that “The Lion King” is as much a remake as a remake gets, Favreau and his visual effects crew still have to be credited for creating a canvas that’s even more stunning than the director’s wondrous live-action adaptation of “The Jungle Book” in 2016. Granted, those familiar with the tale of “The Lion King” will likely hold the memories of the original film dear, and the story won’t seem nearly as fresh as when they first saw it; but that likely won’t be the case for younger viewers, and there’s no question that the new film will become a classic for a new generation.
As familiar as the new “Lion King” feels, the story does give Nala a bigger role (if you get Beyonce in your movie, you have to make it worth her while), including a new song, “Spirit,” which is destined for a Best Original Song Oscar nomination (John and Rice, who won an Oscar for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” also penned a pair of new songs ). The film’s photorealistic effects also make some of the characters feel more daunting, particularly the hyenas, which are much more frightening than they were in animated form (the original film was rated G).
Favreau no doubt added more subtle moments to the film, which is nearly a half-hour longer than the original. Fans will no doubt be able to discover the differences between the new “Lion King” and the original with multiple viewings, which will no doubt happen when this film reaches video after what is guaranteed a very successful theatrical run. After 25 years, “The Lion King’s” roar is as loud as ever.
Lammometer: 8 (out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
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