The Lion King
Year: 2019
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Beyonce, Billy Eichner, Chiwetel Eijofor, Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, John Oliver & Seth Rogen
Runtime: 118 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 22/07/19 (Legacy Review)
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Beyonce, Billy Eichner, Chiwetel Eijofor, Donald Glover, James Earl Jones, John Oliver & Seth Rogen
Runtime: 118 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 22/07/19 (Legacy Review)
So I finally decided to see it, and you know what, I’m kind of glad I did but I can say I will not watch this version again.
I have to applaud the amazing animation quality, there were times where I struggled to believe what I was watching was not live action. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar was also great, despite ‘Be Prepared’ being significantly scaled back.
Beyond that though, this remake was not up to scratch to the original and director Jon Faverau has made some extremely puzzling choices regarding story, casting and even cinematography.
John Oliver was atrociously unfunny as Zazu, Beyoncé was so dry in her portrayal of Nala; and I won’t even get into all the things I hated about Timon & Pumba in this film but to provide some context at least, they weren’t funny and as such they simply came across as nihilistic and horribly out of place in a family film.
The original Lion King had so much character which is what makes it stand in the upper echelon of animated films, in almost every way. This version though, is soulless and shouldn’t exist as anything more than a tech demo for what can be achieved with photorealistic animation.
If this technology is used to such great effect in other films, then I can justify the existence of this film, despite its lifelessness. But part of me does not see that happening and as such The Lion King will simply be nothing more than a cash grab with no substance, one with a gross misunderstanding of what made the original the phenomenon it became.
I have to applaud the amazing animation quality, there were times where I struggled to believe what I was watching was not live action. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar was also great, despite ‘Be Prepared’ being significantly scaled back.
Beyond that though, this remake was not up to scratch to the original and director Jon Faverau has made some extremely puzzling choices regarding story, casting and even cinematography.
John Oliver was atrociously unfunny as Zazu, Beyoncé was so dry in her portrayal of Nala; and I won’t even get into all the things I hated about Timon & Pumba in this film but to provide some context at least, they weren’t funny and as such they simply came across as nihilistic and horribly out of place in a family film.
The original Lion King had so much character which is what makes it stand in the upper echelon of animated films, in almost every way. This version though, is soulless and shouldn’t exist as anything more than a tech demo for what can be achieved with photorealistic animation.
If this technology is used to such great effect in other films, then I can justify the existence of this film, despite its lifelessness. But part of me does not see that happening and as such The Lion King will simply be nothing more than a cash grab with no substance, one with a gross misunderstanding of what made the original the phenomenon it became.