The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride was so much better than it had any right to be for a direct to video sequel to one of the most critically acclaimed animated films ever made. I think everyone would have been perfectly happy if it had been left there too with two high quality films set in the Pride Lands. But Disney being Disney wanted to milk the property for all it was worth and with the success of the Timon & Pumba Disney Channel series in the late 90’s the opportunity for having a film with those two maniacs as the leading men seemed like a good choice. Everything seemed to be heading towards disaster, but somehow The Lion King 1 ½ (or The Lion King 3: Hakuna Matata depending on where you live) is another great success for the Lion King brand and DisneyToon Studios.
A highly meta buddy comedy, The Lion King 1 ½ sees the original Lion King film retold from the perspectives of Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumba (Ernie Sabella). Starting with how they met, the way they inadvertently influenced the events of the original film, what happened during Simba’s (Matthew Broderick) teenage years, and how they were the ones that actually saved the day.
A highly meta buddy comedy, The Lion King 1 ½ sees the original Lion King film retold from the perspectives of Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumba (Ernie Sabella). Starting with how they met, the way they inadvertently influenced the events of the original film, what happened during Simba’s (Matthew Broderick) teenage years, and how they were the ones that actually saved the day.
I have a seething hatred for midquels, films designed to fill in time gaps from other films, but despite kind of falling into that category at times, The Lion King 1 ½ manages to stand on its own two feet because it still manages to be its own story, as well as reframing elements of the original story for comedic purposes.
Having the whole premise of the film be that Timon & Pumba are sitting in a cinema watching The Lion King and then regularly going on tangents to show what was happening where they were is a brilliant idea, and its deconstruction of the comparatively very serious Lion King for jokes is an extremely original concept (although the film is arguably based off Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a meta comedy about Hamlet, which The Lion King is an adaptation of…so I suppose it’s only as original as its source material).
The Lion King 1 ½ also has great production values. With the majority of The Lion King’s voice cast returning, and some great new voice talent such as Julie Kavner as Timon’s mum, and Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max. The film also features a number of songs (and a hilarious sing-along rendition of Hakuna Matata), and whilst none of them reach the same wow factor as songs like Lion King II’s ‘He Lives In You’, or the original film’s ‘Circle of Life’ one song does stand out as both very funny and extremely memorable and that’s ‘Diggah Tunnah’ in the opening few minutes of the film. This musical number perfectly summarises the kind of experience The Lion King 1 ½ is, tongue in cheek funny with great production values and a reverence for its source material.
Whilst The Lion King 1 ½ is the weakest of the three Lion King films, it’s still a rib-tickling good time. It stands out amongst Disney’s entire animated film catalogue as the most self-aware and inventive film the conglomerate has ever produced, and this came from a budget straight to DVD film! It’s held up incredibly well thanks to its high production values, and anyone who enjoyed The Lion King is bound to get a kick out of Timon & Pumba’s hilarious deconstruction of the narrative. This film is absolutely worth seeking out if you’ve never watched it before.
Having the whole premise of the film be that Timon & Pumba are sitting in a cinema watching The Lion King and then regularly going on tangents to show what was happening where they were is a brilliant idea, and its deconstruction of the comparatively very serious Lion King for jokes is an extremely original concept (although the film is arguably based off Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a meta comedy about Hamlet, which The Lion King is an adaptation of…so I suppose it’s only as original as its source material).
The Lion King 1 ½ also has great production values. With the majority of The Lion King’s voice cast returning, and some great new voice talent such as Julie Kavner as Timon’s mum, and Jerry Stiller as Uncle Max. The film also features a number of songs (and a hilarious sing-along rendition of Hakuna Matata), and whilst none of them reach the same wow factor as songs like Lion King II’s ‘He Lives In You’, or the original film’s ‘Circle of Life’ one song does stand out as both very funny and extremely memorable and that’s ‘Diggah Tunnah’ in the opening few minutes of the film. This musical number perfectly summarises the kind of experience The Lion King 1 ½ is, tongue in cheek funny with great production values and a reverence for its source material.
Whilst The Lion King 1 ½ is the weakest of the three Lion King films, it’s still a rib-tickling good time. It stands out amongst Disney’s entire animated film catalogue as the most self-aware and inventive film the conglomerate has ever produced, and this came from a budget straight to DVD film! It’s held up incredibly well thanks to its high production values, and anyone who enjoyed The Lion King is bound to get a kick out of Timon & Pumba’s hilarious deconstruction of the narrative. This film is absolutely worth seeking out if you’ve never watched it before.