The Lion King
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: July 19, 2019
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 1132 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
672
Mixed:
198
Negative:
262
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User scoreBy dateMost helpful
3
BrunoVn00Jul 21, 2019
They say "if it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT"

The Lion King (2019) is the best example of the result of trying to fix something that was never broken in the first place, not even a bit cracked. If you're going to remake what's pretty much aThey say "if it ain't broke, DON'T FIX IT"

The Lion King (2019) is the best example of the result of trying to fix something that was never broken in the first place, not even a bit cracked.

If you're going to remake what's pretty much a near-perfect movie in every aspect, you must TRY really hard to make it be at least as good as the original, but it seems that with this remake they didn't even TRY. This movie is completely pointless: The exact same story, the exact same songs, the exact same sequence of events, sometimes even to the point of being the exact same shots (Just watch the opening, it's literally taken shot by shot from the animated version), really it seems that they didn't even try this time, it's laughable.

Say goodbye to the vibrant color palette and the expressiveness of the characters. Sure the hyperrealistic visuals looks stunning but they don't fit the characters: WHY ARE THEY REALISTIC ANIMALS!? THEY CAN'T EMOTE FOR SH*T. I swear that if you watch the movie with the sound off you will not tell what the characters are supposed to feel, who thought of remaking The Lion King in this style!?

Some minor changes are completely pointless, like how they turned the female hyena (I don't remeber her name) into a serious and menacing leader...Why? They turned Scar into a boring and generic evil character. In the original Scar had a lot more charisma and personality and here he's just evil, his line delivery is boring and he sounds like annoyed all the time. And there are TWO MORE FART JOKES, seriously!? While in the original there was only one and that was the worst moment of the movie, here there are two more, oh my god. Some more extra shots to pad the runtime (although I thought that the sequence of how Rafiki found out that Simba is still alive was cool...I guess)

I didn't expect anything from this remake and somehow managed to disappoint me anyway, this is an awful movie that is an insult to the original, they couldn't even remake The Lion King right.… Expand
11 of 12 users found this helpful111
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0
jbgdstJul 19, 2019
i've never seen another movie that fails this hard at making a case for its own existence
10 of 11 users found this helpful101
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3
MovieRiffingJul 19, 2019
The Lion King (2019) perfectly encapsulates Disney's new wave of soulless remakes. A one-to-one retelling of the same story cannot escape comparisons to the original, and when the original outperforms the newer model in every way, what is theThe Lion King (2019) perfectly encapsulates Disney's new wave of soulless remakes. A one-to-one retelling of the same story cannot escape comparisons to the original, and when the original outperforms the newer model in every way, what is the point? Abysmal voice-over performances, characters lacking any form of defining traits or emotion, and musical showpieces that forget to show anything plague the film. No reality exists where someone chooses to watch The Lion King (2019) over the 1994 classic after this release window closes.… Expand
10 of 11 users found this helpful101
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3
jdlongsh42Jul 20, 2019
Storyline is exact duplicate of original. Characters couldn’t capture the magic of the original ones. We took our daughter, my wife and I actually slept thru some of it. Glad I am an A-list with AMC I would have hated paying $45.00 to see this.
10 of 11 users found this helpful101
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2
donelsonJul 19, 2019
Yet more recycled pablum. Disney once again chooses movie-making by committee
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
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4
tropicAcesJul 19, 2019
They sing “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” in broad daylight.

That’s it, that’s my review.
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
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3
amheretojudgeJul 19, 2019
This so-called live action remake has got some extra footage of action, but it is not alive.

The Lion King Favreau, as I have always said, calls for authenticity in his films. His methods remind you of the old filmmaking style. I have neverThis so-called live action remake has got some extra footage of action, but it is not alive.

The Lion King

Favreau, as I have always said, calls for authenticity in his films. His methods remind you of the old filmmaking style. I have never seen him go for some avant-garde style and never have I left the screen feeling that he should have. Even the close-up shots, how he zooms in, how he pans back for a wider shot and how he edits those flashbacks into narrations, it feels outdated but also comforting to revisit those shots. Another plus point in Favreau's account this time, is an adaptation of a beloved Disney feature that I think is the closest that comes to define the intentions of those films to its younger audience. Just like the moral tales used to contribute in a child's upbringing, the '94 version captured some heavy themes and foliated as a lesson into narrative unlike most of the Disney world. It persists on preaching, like some lecture, the film runs from one class to another, with a musical score in the background and words sung roaringly, commanding us to hum along.

And as far as Favreau's world is concerned, it may coax and cojule but it gets to those notes noted in one big lesson eventually. Those detours are not something you are or will be excited for. Sugar-coated or crisped, the humor as anecdotes remains the highlight in its entirety but never takes part in the event. Another issue that I couldn't figure out in The Jungle Book is clearly visible here, since it is in much larger scale. And that is the empathy. Emotions didn't communicate with me.

Primarily because of the visual effects. I prefer the animated version. As in ANIMATED in capitals. They express their state not just physically, facially too. And at times in here I found it difficult to swallow that they were worried or glad or tensed or emotionally broken about something. Which begs the question what has been this obsession of remaking the Disney classics into live action films- this one's not particularly live action.

Why are we so obsessed on watching the same events occur to our beloved celebrities? I mean, the success rate has been surprisingly low for Disney- quality wise of course, not commercially. And still among those, I feel Jon Favreau, the director, has got the enigma decoded with the closest possible answer. He understands the unity and teamwork aspect of Disney features like no other filmmakers of this series does and has.

But this is eventually a work of art. There is no correct answer. No matter how much analysation and homework you have put into a feature- and Favreau has definitely worked hard on observing the wildlife- the material, the execution remains the final verdict. And someone like me who didn't nod along with his Jungle Book theory will find it more difficult to sing along in this kingdom. The Lion King adapts to the commercial line along with the obligation of being politically correct, as a result, somewhere in between, we lost the connection, the friendship.… Expand
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
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1
theredskyJul 20, 2019
What a pathetic, unnecessary, crappy cash grab. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original film a lot and I like Jon Faverou but both don’t mix well together. Here are the few positives. Obviously the film looks visually impressive but thatWhat a pathetic, unnecessary, crappy cash grab. Don’t get me wrong, I love the original film a lot and I like Jon Faverou but both don’t mix well together. Here are the few positives. Obviously the film looks visually impressive but that leads to some problems later. Most of the voice cast does a fine job. Especially Donald Glover, Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, and John Oliver. That’s where the positives end. Here are the negatives. This is essentially a shot for shot remake of the original film. There is almost nothing new except a new song which is played in the background and extended scenes of pointless scenery and a single piece of Simba’s hair flying across the desert. I give some credit to the other live action remakes for at least trying to do something different, even if they didn’t work but this film does almost nothing new at all. It played it safe which was the wrong direction. Some of the voice acting isn’t great. James Earl Jones sounds like he wasn’t even trying. It sounds like he recorded all of his lines in one take and then went home. Chiwetel Ejiofor makes Scar seem like a pathetic loser. He just fails to capture that spine tingling and energetic performance of Jeremy Irons. The songs besides Circle of Life and Can You Feel the Love Tonight just are underwhelming especially Be Prepared which for some reason was cut short. The musical score is fine but it feels like they just copy and pasted the score from the original instead of making new renditions of the score. Even if the CGI is impressive, it also serves to the film’s detriment. You can’t relate to the characters because the visual effects don’t allow them to convey any emotion. An example would be Mufasa’s death. The actor voicing young Simba does a good job conveying his grief with his voice but Simba literally has a blank stare on his face the entire time. This is a problem throughout the entire film. The animals express almost no emotions. That’s the beauty of the animation style of the original. Because it was animated, the animators had free liberty to make the animals express in whatever way they wanted. Another problem would be that some of the more important moments are shorter in this film than the original. The stampede scene was about 5 minutes while in this one it feels shorter which is odd because the film is almost 30 minutes longer than the original. This all begs the question. What was the point of this film? Obviously money but there’s no point to the film. It’s just the same thing that is somehow almost 30 minutes longer. Overall, The Lion King is visually impressive but fails at recapturing the beauty, scope, and emotional weight of the original animated film. I give The Lion King (2019) a 1/10.… Expand
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
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0
Rjd4585Jul 19, 2019
Disappointed with the voice characters...animation was good but didnt suit the voices
9 of 10 users found this helpful91
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5
MrMovieBuffJul 19, 2019
There is no denying that 'The Lion King' (1994) is one of Disney's most treasured animated classics that still impacts audiences today. So, you may ask; why did Disney want to tell the same story again, with the exact same execution? JustThere is no denying that 'The Lion King' (1994) is one of Disney's most treasured animated classics that still impacts audiences today. So, you may ask; why did Disney want to tell the same story again, with the exact same execution? Just because they can. 'The Lion King' has visual wonder and sweeping state-of-the-art CGI, but nothing else new to add. It's disappointing mainly because this is all handled by a talented and trusted filmmaker with Jon Favreau (who also directed 'The Jungle Book' for Disney), so you'd think his charm and creative input would be suited for this particular remake. Instead, I find myself asking, can you even tell that this was from the same director as 'Elf' (2003), 'Iron Man' (2008) or even 'Chef' (2014)? These films were able to showcase Favreau's talents as a storyteller, but realistically, any other director could have made this movie and the results would be mostly the same. You know the story, you've seen the film, you more or less love the film, both as a child and as an adult. The problem that lies with this remake is, just like my issues with the 'Beauty and the Beast' (2017) remake, it is shot-for-shot, quote-for-quote exactly the same as the original, warranting the existence of these remakes, mostly pointless. The cast do a pretty good job capturing the original spirit of the iconic characters, particularly impressive are Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, they bring their own comedic flair to these characters, and it works because it's the only thing that's different, but doesn't deviate from the original. At the end of the day, you can't accuse Jon Favreau for "disrespecting" the original movie because he made the exact same film. To most Disney fans, 'The Lion King' (1994) is as close to perfection as it could get, so you can't be mad at Favreau changing little-to-nothing. But to that, I ask, why tell the same story again in the exact same fashion? Only this time, things look more photorealistic. I understand the novelty that these live-action (I also understand this doesn't qualify as one) remakes is that it's like the animated originals, but it looks real. What you can achieve in animation, cannot be achieved exactly in animation. One of the common criticisms you may have heard is that the lions don't "emote" as much here as opposed to the original, but that's because the lions in the 1994 original had eyebrows drawn on them, not to mention that Zazu (voiced by John Oliver here) had big human eyes in the original. I admire Favreau for attempting something here, but I'd rather see him add his own trademarks to his films, whether they're original, or adaptations. 'The Lion King' doesn't showcase any directorial creativity, just cashing in on nostalgia. If you're going to remake a story, execute it in the most unique way you can, that's why 'Cinderella' (2015) and 'The Jungle Book' (2016) worked so well.… Expand
8 of 9 users found this helpful81
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5
ReplicanteJul 19, 2019
I found it unnecessary to remake a classic that is incredible to this day. I'm not saying the remake is bad, far from it, but it did not have to. It's like a BBC documentary telling a Simba story.
7 of 8 users found this helpful71
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4
MetempsychosisJul 20, 2019
Someone do something. Disney needs help. As in, an intervention.

Just came back from watching it and... It's The Lion King. You can't ruin the Lion King, but it's borderline cringe worthy. The only moment this whole thing has a facialSomeone do something. Disney needs help. As in, an intervention.

Just came back from watching it and... It's The Lion King. You can't ruin the Lion King, but it's borderline cringe worthy. The only moment this whole thing has a facial animation to go along with the feeling was when Sarabi recognized Simba. And even still, it seems like all their facial expressions are in the mouth. Maybe the producers were afraid the characters would look too cartoony, but I really feel like the facial animations where missing. The original felt much more alive because of them. Even their body language feels a little stifled, like those are animals that don't know they should be emoting.

In the same line, the songs feel lifeless. It's like they tried to make a live action remake of an original animated piece. It just loses its appeal in the translation... There is just so much more freedom that animation can give your characters when you're not obsessed with making the damn cats look so real they loose all identifiable emotion you could see on REAL lions.

I feel like they changed certain details, like Mufasa telling Zazu to turn around on Simba's pouncing lesson or the way Scar throws him off the cliff because of that and a lot of the impact was lost. Yeah, cats don't point with their claws. They also don't have kingdoms with succession laws and lionesses that are as proactive as a 1964 damsel in distress.

Speaking of that, poor Sarabi. Look at the scene where she's talking to Scar in the original. She looks like a goddamn queen with a hurt pride instead of a emotionless cat that is just staring like it's trainer is just outside the screen.

I also feel like the story didn't age that well. And since some scenes and dialogue was changed, I think they missed an opportunity to have the lionesses appear in the graveyard and help Mufasa kick some hyena butt. The point is, in this remake, their agency left a lot to be desired. It seemed that Nala was the only one that had a personality besides silent obedience and that was bad already in the original.

Finally, another opportunity was lost in not incorporating the sequel. Zira would've been a great counterpoint to Sarabi, IF she had stood up to Scar and the hyenas. Again, the lionesses felt like they didn't have much of an opinion. And that is when Timon and Pumbaa got a lot of other friends that really didn't need to be there. The whole scene about the tuft of fur was unnecessary, when the plot could've used some updating.

In the end, it's a remake that could've improved, but instead, it felt less alive, despite being more life-like; the songs lost a lot of their presence because of visual style that didn't keep up with the music; characters lost their dynamism and presence with an end result that looked like a Lion King themed tech demo or a National Geographic documentary trying to be cute with Lion King voice-overs.

It's not bad, but instead of hitting the nostalgia, it made me want to watch the original again. I was disappointed and I went in not expecting much. The nice visuals looked generic for being s life-like and I feel like the whole point of animation was lost to the producers. So, I don't care about how nice it looked: that was what damaged the movie as a whole.

Simba and Nala's reunion was... Goddamn Disney. Nala looked like she had come right out of a Christopher Nolan movie where she completely turned into a plot device to express how important Simba is and how much she loves him within seconds. You just don't do that to your characters! If I hadn't seem the original, Nala would've come out as that trophy romantic interest you give to the main character just because he's important to the story.

To top it off, the pacing felt so awkward. I don't really know why, but it felt like someone was going through the scenes checking boxes off a list instead of telling a story.… Expand
7 of 8 users found this helpful71
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1
ACriticalThingJul 20, 2019
Truly terrible. Do not waste your money.

It watches like a high school media project: like playing the Lion King soundtrack over a nature documentary. The acting is wooden and stilted. The songs are almost identical to the original with noTruly terrible. Do not waste your money.

It watches like a high school media project: like playing the Lion King soundtrack over a nature documentary. The acting is wooden and stilted. The songs are almost identical to the original with no flair or original pieces added. The dialogue is cringy - just a weaker version of the original. Even James Earl Jones sounded flat, tired and like he didn't want to be there. Beyonce did not add much.

As The Lion King was my childhood favourite, it was greatly disappointing to watch this cash grab undermine the original masterpiece. The only highlights were the baby animals, and possibly "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The only positive comment I can give it is: impressive animation. But as it will be dated in ten years, it's not enough to redeem the movie beyond a pale, wan version of the original masterpiece I grew up with.… Expand
7 of 8 users found this helpful71
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3
KimeronJul 20, 2019
Filme escuro, mal aproveitado. Disney esteve com tanta sede em tornar tudo um grande documentário do Animal Planet, ou até mesmo em mostrar essa tecnologia hiper avançada que esqueceu a real essência do filme e infeliz os fãs gostam mesmo oFilme escuro, mal aproveitado. Disney esteve com tanta sede em tornar tudo um grande documentário do Animal Planet, ou até mesmo em mostrar essa tecnologia hiper avançada que esqueceu a real essência do filme e infeliz os fãs gostam mesmo o filme tendo 30 minutos a mais e que nada é incluído a mais. Não vemos um desenvolver maior do personagem Scar, Sarabi continua esqueci e ganha uma cena a mais que no caso é medonha pelo tipo de coisa que acontece, Nala continua sendo só a Nala e o filme continua igual, igual, nenhuma mudança, nada agregável. O filme não explora nada, é uma compilado frame a frame da versão de 1994.
Sei também que muitos fãs queriam ver exatamente isso, mas deveriam existir mudanças porque isso apenas acostuma a Disney a não criar mais nada novo, coloca 10 falas novas de 10 segundos, troca algumas conotações de frases para os dias de hoje, continua os personagens iguais quando talvez contar um pouco mais da história deles faria sentido, exclui e adiciona musicas desnecessárias... Até quando Disney? Até quando gente? Cobrem mudanças, cobrem histórias, qualquer mudança que fosse, qualquer coisa realmente agregável que tivesse seria bom. Mas é apenas um filme sem cor, sem vida, sem graça. Você que ainda não foi, veja o seu VHS verde, ou seu DVD e espero lançar em alguma site depois!… Expand
7 of 8 users found this helpful71
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5
Compi24Jul 20, 2019
We've reached a critical mass -- of sorts -- when it comes to these live-action remakes of Disney classics. I wish I could say that I have a hot take on this one, but I'm going to have to echo a lot of the points already being made by otherWe've reached a critical mass -- of sorts -- when it comes to these live-action remakes of Disney classics. I wish I could say that I have a hot take on this one, but I'm going to have to echo a lot of the points already being made by other filmgoers. Yes, the technology in play looks incredibly photorealistic. No, "photorealistic" is not synonymous with the word "aesthetic." Not always, that is. Yes, these are some pretty convincing-looking lions. Yes, that also means you get the added tradeoff of muted emotionality. I simply have to stand by my original opinion on the whole trend -- I don't see why we need to remake so many of these classic films. Yes, we now possess the technology to make these stories appear more realistic. But if trending closer towards realism is something I should come to expect from Disney (Yes. DISNEY.) then I'm not sure what the world's come to, where we all went wrong, or how to fix the problem.… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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2
Lennon-SJul 20, 2019
Complete and utter trash! I was lucky enough to see this travesty for free or I wouldn’t of ever see it to begin with. Like each and every single other remake this was clearly yet another crash grab! The next time you hear someone complainComplete and utter trash! I was lucky enough to see this travesty for free or I wouldn’t of ever see it to begin with. Like each and every single other remake this was clearly yet another crash grab! The next time you hear someone complain about the amount of sequels reboots and remakes remind them of what they watched and what makes the most money! Fools have themselves to blame for crap like this!… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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3
ThoresuJul 20, 2019
This is just a cheap remake without any love for the original. Just skip this one you'll do yourself a favour.
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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0
JoaoGabriel13Jul 20, 2019
Filme fraco, botaram um monte de gente famosa pra falar em cima de bichos no computador. Quase dormi assistindo
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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1
Spate123Jul 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ABSOLUTELY WAS NOT ORIGINAL. it was basically a whole different lion king in my opinion there were several scenes that we're never added from the old version and they created new characters and made there own scenes.… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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1
TryHardisGoodJul 20, 2019
Only the visuals are good this is just a cashgrab. When the guy died the facial expresion was just a mounth open and that is that why in carton you can make lions cry and dance a **** like that but not in a movie. And they recreatet everyOnly the visuals are good this is just a cashgrab. When the guy died the facial expresion was just a mounth open and that is that why in carton you can make lions cry and dance a **** like that but not in a movie. And they recreatet every scene from the carton.… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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0
Nikkit1noJul 20, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. They took out too many important parts of the original. Showing the strength of Mufasa but also his friendly side (his friendship with Zazu, how he respects and hugs Rafiki, that he taught Simba how to pounce). Even the opening scene wasn’t the same. Why would you alter that? The huge rising sun in tune with the music that gives almost everyone goosebumps. The new one you see trees with a slightly lit up morning sky and then a small sun appears off to the side that isn’t in sync with the music. Mufasas personality doesn’t sound the same even though it’s still James Earl Jones’ voice. It’s different somehow. The hyenas are not the same. They don’t make jokes and laugh at themselves like “make mine a cub sandwich” then laugh hysterically at their own jokes. They eliminated Ed, the one who doesn’t speak, just laughs. Timon isn’t flamboyant or half as funny as the original. The hula scene in the original was fast paced and funny to distract the hyenas. The new one he slowly sings “Be our Guest”?? No action and not as fun. In fact, ALL of the new characters (including Beyoncé) sound like they are just reading from a script and it’s really mundane and forced. None of them are in character and flow like the original. There’s no sass or wit. The music is boring. It’s a huge disappointment. Rafiki catches Simbas hair and knows immediately it’s him. In the original, he knows the scent, but it takes him a minute to figure it out and when he does, he’s ecstatic. Not in the remake. There is no image of Mufasa in the clouds to guide Simba to remember who he is. Rafiki doesn’t give him a lesson about how the past can hurt with his stick. Simba doesn’t hug Rafiki like his father did which is also symbolic to how Simba is like his father. I don’t understand why Disney would eliminate these bonds and characters that we all love and change it to make what is a visually stunning movie into something I will never want to see again.… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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4
CasadelrobJul 20, 2019
Meh. The CGI was amazing but the movie felt really flat and by comparison to the original just did nothing.
If you have seen Lion King when it was originally in theaters, perhaps multiple times because it was so amazing, Skip this re-do. ItMeh. The CGI was amazing but the movie felt really flat and by comparison to the original just did nothing.
If you have seen Lion King when it was originally in theaters, perhaps multiple times because it was so amazing, Skip this re-do. It won’t ruin your memories of the animation, but it will do nothing for you past the initial wow of the first few minutes of CGI.
The songs felt flat, the characters (albeit real life if you will) felt even less relatable and lovable as their cartoon counterparts.
It just felt all in all flat to me. The best parts were a few clever rewrites on lines. Otherwise it was like watching James Earl Jones again as Mufassa dubbed over a National Geographic documentary.
I wish if they were going to do a full blown script repeat everyone would have returned. Heck, they may as well have just kept the original voice track and dubbed it over. It was meh. For me, just meh, at best.… Expand
6 of 7 users found this helpful61
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0
MathjeanJul 20, 2019
Horrible movie beyonce have a horrible and worst voice for nala ever summarizing Beyoncé spoiled the movie i hate her
5 of 6 users found this helpful51
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0
Lucasswiftie89Jul 20, 2019
Péssimo, a Disney fez o favor de acabar com meu filme infantil preferido. E Ainda coloca a chifruda pra dublar,oque piora mais ainda.
5 of 6 users found this helpful51
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4
gxm143Jul 19, 2019
This is why traditional animation still matters, because unlike this film, it can show emotions on faces. The only way this Lion King can relate emotion is by voice, and actors such as Beyonce can't do that. Nothing original in the story.This is why traditional animation still matters, because unlike this film, it can show emotions on faces. The only way this Lion King can relate emotion is by voice, and actors such as Beyonce can't do that. Nothing original in the story. Stunning visuals, that's the best I can offer as praise. Truly disappointing. But I'm sure it will make a fortune. Just never be seen as a classic.… Expand
8 of 10 users found this helpful82
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3
StarandorionJul 20, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While it is visually appealing at times the story telling and emotion is in need of immense improving. The lion king is a story that needs expression and emotion so making it 'live action' doesnt help its case. The important and dramatic scenes are at best embarrassing to watch as they would make you laugh more than cry.… Expand
8 of 10 users found this helpful82
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5
monitomp3Jul 19, 2019
Not bad, but removing nostalgia is not much more than the same movie. New songs contribute very little.
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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2
ScienceAdvisorApr 28, 2022
This is 100% CGI, so anyone claiming it was "live action" need some help. This is a shallow echo of the original, and not worth watching even as a time wasters. Just see the original before they decide to "fix it".
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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5
The3AcademySinsJul 20, 2019
The 2019 shot for shot remake of The Lion King has me siding more with the critics on this one. I cannot deny that the visuals are absolutely stunning. The voice acting and the voice cast are also really incredible. The problem is that thisThe 2019 shot for shot remake of The Lion King has me siding more with the critics on this one. I cannot deny that the visuals are absolutely stunning. The voice acting and the voice cast are also really incredible. The problem is that this shot-for-shot feels incredibly lifeless, and lacks the soul of the original. There isn't a lot of emotion coming from the photorealistic animals, and some songs and scenes are cut entirely. In spite of the technological achievements, it feels lazy and lackluster.… Expand
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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5
bnallen81Jul 19, 2019
Maybe my hopes were too high for this remake, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I think most people expect the new version to reignite the same feeling they had the first time they watched the original, but my guess is this versionMaybe my hopes were too high for this remake, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I think most people expect the new version to reignite the same feeling they had the first time they watched the original, but my guess is this version just won't do that for anybody. First off, the storyline is exactly the same as the original version. So expect to feel the same as you did the 10th time you watched it and knew exactly what to expect with no suprises. Secondly, the character's voices and the acting were preferable with the first version and the remake definitely seems a bit second rate. The songs were better with the original as well. The visuals have improved tremendously with this one and some scenes are just visually stunning. But, the lack of expression on the characters faces really take away that feel-good-Disney-vibe that the original had. It was a good attempt at a remake, however, some of the casting , song choices, and the lack of new and unanticipated storylines are honestly where the film went wrong. It felt as if Jon Favreau thought "Well it's good enough, people will watch it because they loved the original." He would be right about that part except people won't LOVE the remake. It' just another mediocre remake that, to be honest, shouldn't have been made. Take my advice and wait to watch it when it releases to DVD.… Expand
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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6
omarnazarioJul 19, 2019
Effective? Yes. Necessary? No. This film lacks the heart and spirit of the original. The sequences are shot by shot cut copies of the 1994 classic, which is fine, but...come one, guys. The film could've used a facelift, especially consideringEffective? Yes. Necessary? No. This film lacks the heart and spirit of the original. The sequences are shot by shot cut copies of the 1994 classic, which is fine, but...come one, guys. The film could've used a facelift, especially considering that most entries in the current animation-to-live-action-craze have added to the classics rather than bored us with an unnecessary reiteration of well know and well loved story.… Expand
4 of 5 users found this helpful41
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4
ColginatorJul 20, 2019
With the success of Faverau's Jungle Book and the leaps forward in CGI technology, it was only going to be so long before a Disney exec thought of doing a remake of their most successful film during the Disney Renaissance. But they were soWith the success of Faverau's Jungle Book and the leaps forward in CGI technology, it was only going to be so long before a Disney exec thought of doing a remake of their most successful film during the Disney Renaissance. But they were so preoccupied with whether they could recreate the Lion King almost shot for shot that they never stopped to think whether they should. The end result will undoubtedly be a massive money maker for Disney by capitalizing on the success of one of their greatest films, but it's also quite possibly the most creatively bankrupt film to come out this year.

We all know the plot of the first film and this remake follows the original almost verbatim. So much of the dialogue is just taken word for word out of the original and many shots are so identical that I'm convinced that they just used stills from the original as storyboards. Other than one extra scene showing how Nala set off on her journey where she finds Simba and some extended sequences following some random animals unrelated to the plot, including an adept metaphor for the film where we're forced to watch a beetle pushing around a large piece of dung, there's very little here which departs from the original story.

So if this does follow the original so closely then how did it turn out so bad? To start off with, as impressive as some of these photo realistic animations are this style wasn't well suited for the Lion King. Instead of having the expressionistic and lively characters from the original, we get these lions who are unable to emote and deliver on the films emotional moments. It's very difficult to connect with these characters since they just can't convey as much visually as the original was capable of and characters like Mufasa just don't resonate in the same way.

The original animated films more minimalistic style also works to its advantage so that shots flow together smoother and allows for quicker edits because we are capable of reading all the information in a shot in a shorter amount of time. The heightened realism of this remake just isn't capable of doing this as it needs to hold on its shots just so we can absorb all the information on screen. Plus on a more simplistic level, the original animation just looks better. The epic scale of some of the shots in that film feel permanently engraved in my mind, but whilst the remake has me appreciate the effort and time that animators must have put in to these shots it just doesn't deliver on the same sense of awe it attempts to recreate from the original.

Then there's the new cast and in spite of having a lot of great names attached to the film, it ends up feeling as if the characters are going through the motions of the story with little emotional weight. Very few of the performances are able to bounce off one another effectively and feel completely disconnected from their surroundings. This is with the exception of some of the comedic support like Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner and John Oliver who were all entertaining. Though this is partly because these seemed to be the only characters where the actors brought their personalities to the role and felt like they delivered on some funny lines.

But my biggest gripe of this film is it's complete lack of originality. Most of these remakes of Disney animated classics have copied the originals they were based on, but they all added at least something to the story. Even for as much as I disliked the live action Beauty and the Beast, they still made some attempts to improve characters like LeFou and tried to add their own ideas to how the curse works. But here they don't try to add anything substantially different to the characters or story, instead only adding new shots of the surrounding nature to show off the photo-realistic animation and pad out the films run-time. They even skip over some of the small moments that made the original film so incredible to begin with. One example is how they take out Rafiki's lesson about how the past can hurt and instead just cut to Simba running off to catch up with Nala. This is replaced by a montage of the two Lions running across the wild to a new Beyonce song, which feels completely out of place and was likely just added to the film so they could sell an extra Beyonce song on the films soundtrack.

Ultimately the film just feels like a carbon copy of the original. It's like listening to someone speak the lyrics to a great song, all the words are there but it lacks the same beat which made the song connect with you to begin with. Whilst it's not necessarily the worst film of the year, but it is definitely the most pointless.… Expand
7 of 9 users found this helpful72
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0
Jp117Jul 19, 2019
What a waist of time they took all love out of this movie not to mention some epic lines and scenes remakes are falling apart not to mention the actors voices didn’t sound close to the original which is what we all should stick to.
7 of 9 users found this helpful72
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3
EunikaoumaJul 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was an okay movie the same old storyline but it was nice watching it anyways… Expand
10 of 13 users found this helpful103
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2
papadrew7Jul 19, 2019
What an epic fail by Disney. This movie should never have been made. I gave this movie a 2 for superb graphics and Timon and pumba made the movie at least somewhat enjoyable for a FEW minutes of the movie. The rest of the movie was likeWhat an epic fail by Disney. This movie should never have been made. I gave this movie a 2 for superb graphics and Timon and pumba made the movie at least somewhat enjoyable for a FEW minutes of the movie. The rest of the movie was like watching paint dry. You might as well turn on National Geographic and have the old movie playing in the background because their are zero facial expressions. My dog conveys more emotion to me then this joyless/lifeless depictions of the lion king. Even the soundtrack was abysmal! Just rewatch the old movie and enjoy the masterpiece that we already have.… Expand
9 of 12 users found this helpful93
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6
guilhermevmvJul 19, 2019
Technically and visually perfect animal representation but lacks emotion and charisma.
9 of 12 users found this helpful93
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4
Tony1984Jul 21, 2019
If it was an original production in its own right then I would be more forgiving but its not. It's an exact remake of the 1994 animated classic but in live action. It pales by comparison. Live action Lion King, whilst technically excellent,If it was an original production in its own right then I would be more forgiving but its not. It's an exact remake of the 1994 animated classic but in live action. It pales by comparison. Live action Lion King, whilst technically excellent, doesn't have a fraction of the charisma of the original. Talking animals need more human looking features to portray complex emotions. Animation just works better. That with some poor voice acting, especially Oliver and Eichner, leaves a rather uninspired production. Ok only… Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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6
Muskrat147Jul 22, 2019
After seeing the success of Disney's The Jungle Book three years ago, it seemed likely then that Favreau and company would return for future "live-action" remakes of previously hand-animated classics. However, when it was announced that,After seeing the success of Disney's The Jungle Book three years ago, it seemed likely then that Favreau and company would return for future "live-action" remakes of previously hand-animated classics. However, when it was announced that, before much else, the quite recent Lion King from 1994 would be the next to face a reboot treatment, optimism and hype soared. The cast was announced, with James Earl Jones returning. Zimmer signed on to adapt arguably his best score for a second outing, and the first teasers were released. The biggest of Disney's planned reboots was shaping up to be the best seen so far. And yet, wrong we were. As entertaining as this film may be for many, especially for those who have yet to see the original, the reimagined take on nearly every iconic sequence and moment feels lazy and uninspired. The grand appeal of the hand-drawn animation, with its bold colors and creative character design, has been replaced by photo-realistic recreations of real-world creatures. This was the biggest selling point for Favreau, having first applied this use of CGI to The Jungle Book. However, where it worked then, and managed to capture some of the emotion expressed in the characters; here, it fails to showcase anything close to the emotions seen in the original. Though very real in appearance and design, any attachment to these characters like that in the original is lost here. The iconic shots, moments, and beats are recreated, sure, but it is nothing more than that - a recreation. And quite soulless, to be frank. Every song is half as memorable as it was originally ("Be Prepared" taking home the trophy for biggest disappointment). The jokes are largely the same, yet less funny. The memorable quirks of Rafiki and Zazu have largely been erased, and instead they serve largely to aid in propelling the already well-known plot forward. The character seen in the animation is replaced by darker, albeit more realistic colors, and the shot design is less creative, and again, lazy. Though still entertaining to sit through and witness in the theater, The Lion King (emphasis on 2019) pales in nearly every comparison to the original, and sadly, only conjures up to be a basic and fundamental retread of the beloved classic.… Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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3
DenXJul 25, 2019
Why ? just why ? It's just a copy/paste of the original with all the emotional aspects reduced to 10%.
It's so dull I can't believe this was made by actual humans. It looks and feels like a product from a heartless machine. Is Disney deadWhy ? just why ? It's just a copy/paste of the original with all the emotional aspects reduced to 10%.
It's so dull I can't believe this was made by actual humans. It looks and feels like a product from a heartless machine. Is Disney dead inside ?
I wonder...… Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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6
MrScallopsJul 24, 2019
It's the remake we never wanted and a movie doomed to never reach the status of the original. It's visually stunning, but apart from that it has no reason to exist.
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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6
thefakepierreJul 22, 2019
Hard to see the emotion of the lines with all of the lions faces are blank. I think it should've worked if they used the Aslan like face animations. Some very important parts of the original were removed even though they already copied theHard to see the emotion of the lines with all of the lions faces are blank. I think it should've worked if they used the Aslan like face animations. Some very important parts of the original were removed even though they already copied the same exact movie. Weird. The only thing that brought this up to 3 stars are Timone and Pumba.… Expand
3 of 4 users found this helpful31
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2
MattyiceJul 19, 2019
Yes, the visuals are pretty fantastic and the score/soundtrack is still one of my favorites ever and mostly only got better, but those are the only things I can truly appreciate about this insanely unoriginal and rather insulting remake ofYes, the visuals are pretty fantastic and the score/soundtrack is still one of my favorites ever and mostly only got better, but those are the only things I can truly appreciate about this insanely unoriginal and rather insulting remake of The Lion King. First off, the “live action” aspects actually hinder the film rather than help it, as the emotion of the powerful scenes in the original is sucked dry with what looks like a voiceover of a nature documentary. The animals cannot express nearly the same level of emotion as animated characters due to the realism. In addition, the song sequences are far less dramatic and powerful because of the realism, turning amazing song sequences from the original into bland scenes consisting of characters running around or standing still (it’s criminal what they did to Be Prepared in particular). Finally, with regard to the realism, the scenes are far less vibrant and colorful, while the scale feels so much smaller than the original. Outside of the poorly thought out need for realism in the first place, the film might as well not credit its “screenwriters”, as about 80% of the films script is completely recycled from the original word-for-word. At least the other Disney live-action remakes changed at least half of the dialogue rather than literally just pull the script out from an archive and amend a few things. Finally, the voice acting is for the most part decent (with Billy Eichner and Seth Rogan as Timon and Pumba and the hyenas being standouts). However, some voice actors feel like they’re just trying to replicate what the prior voice actor did, making the film feel even less original. Once again, the realism makes the actors feel like they’re just narrating a documentary, leaving some performances (particularly Donald Glover as Simba) a bit lifeless.

In the end, this was a remake that never should have been made and feels like a painful cash-grab of a legendary film. As revolutionary as the visuals are, this should have been left as a tech demo. It is absolutely soulless and I really don’t recommend giving Disney your money for what is a far inferior version of a fantastic film.… Expand
8 of 11 users found this helpful83
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3
vreeJul 19, 2019
It's ok I guess. What am I saying it's not ok, especially if you know the original. It just doesn't compare to the original animated movie. They show mostly the same scenes as in the original animated movie, but remove a few lines here andIt's ok I guess. What am I saying it's not ok, especially if you know the original. It just doesn't compare to the original animated movie. They show mostly the same scenes as in the original animated movie, but remove a few lines here and there, because of that some relationships between the characters feel different (distant/more hatefull) and overall less funny. It has been made over the top serious and because of zero facial expressions and loss of some nuances in the lines and scenes the (correct) emotions just don't come over...

Note: Same with the musical parts, 50% are like ok but the rest are horribly executed. Both in the singing as the overal setting.

A horrible failed attempt over the original.… Expand
12 of 18 users found this helpful126
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0
SnidelyWhiplashJul 22, 2019
It's not plagiarism when made by the same company. Just much worse in every way and horribly creatively compromised. Who needs acting and appealing character animation when you can have REALISM. Completely misses the strengths of the firstIt's not plagiarism when made by the same company. Just much worse in every way and horribly creatively compromised. Who needs acting and appealing character animation when you can have REALISM. Completely misses the strengths of the first film in every way. If you want original music, listen to the soundtrack separately, this film fails as a musical, a film, and sets back the art of animation massively in everything except its technical features, which will become dated in a way that classic character animation never will. By watching this film, you tell Hollywood that this and more films like it are what you want, and continue to water down the very childhood you apparently cherish in mediocre retellings.… Expand
4 of 6 users found this helpful42
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6
GilbertoJul 25, 2019
I was certainly impressed with the photo-realistic visuals of this movie, and reliving this childhood classic with a new coat of paint was definitely pleasant, but thats all this remake has going for it. The Lion King (2019) is essentially,I was certainly impressed with the photo-realistic visuals of this movie, and reliving this childhood classic with a new coat of paint was definitely pleasant, but thats all this remake has going for it. The Lion King (2019) is essentially, the same exact movie from 1994 and that may warrant a pass for some, it did for me, but there is no denying that there is a sense of void within my gut regarding the whole ordeal because again, it is the exact same thing I saw years ago. On top of it all, as realistic and impressive as it may look, the new visuals effectively sacrifice the expressions of the characters and it made The Lion King, a story I know for a fact is charming and full of emotion, kind of emotionless- and it was dragging a bit at the end for me if I am honest, something that never happened with the 1994 animated original. Yet, despite this criticism I cant deny that the movie can provide joy- for starters, I almost teared up at the opening with the theme of The Circle of Life and realistic imagery recreating my childhood memories on the big screen, and Pumba and Timon are still pretty funny. It deserves a watch only for its beautiful visuals, which I believe are the most impressive CGI special effects I have ever seen, and its familiarity-but I really hope this kind of movie doesnt become a trend for Disney. The new life action remakes have all tried to recreate their originals, but they have also tried to feel fresh through new scenes, characters and pacing, but this one, is literally the same movie, and I dont think a new project like this can survive next time. Its a pass for now.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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6
TVJerryJul 23, 2019
Thank heavens for Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner! Without their hilarious comic characters, this film wouldn't have much personality. This "live action" remake of Disney's classic hit looks like an upscale nature documentary with voiceovers. InThank heavens for Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner! Without their hilarious comic characters, this film wouldn't have much personality. This "live action" remake of Disney's classic hit looks like an upscale nature documentary with voiceovers. In case you didn't know, everything was done in computers. The recreated scenery is beautiful with wondrous flora and fauna, but without the drawn style of animation, it lacks visual poetry and the animals feel cold and lifeless. The power of the narrative and the popular songs help propel the pace, but the magic is missing.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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6
LajaleaaJul 22, 2019
"I laugh in the face of danger."
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( 65/100 ) . Yo creería que Jon Favreau se sentía indeciso sobre dirigir ésta película o no. The Lion King se siente muy semejante al liveaction: The Jungle Book (2016), uno de los clásicos de Disney que"I laugh in the face of danger."
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( 65/100 )
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Yo creería que Jon Favreau se sentía indeciso sobre dirigir ésta película o no. The Lion King se siente muy semejante al liveaction: The Jungle Book (2016), uno de los clásicos de Disney que dirigió previamente. Pero mientras que The Jungle Book (2016) se siente muy solida y bien adaptada, The Lion King (2019) se siente sin magia e incongruente. La verdad es que The Jungle Book (1967) y The Lion King (1994) no son iguales.
La historia de Simba y Scar no es diferente, y en ésta película se trata de recrear al clásico del 94 de la forma más puntual posible. Pero mientras se cuida la linea narrativa, el estudio comete la grosería de descuidar la esencia de la original: la animación extravagante, las montañas de elementos que marchan y decoran a un musical salvaje, un entretenimiento visual que no solo construye un contexto social-animal, sino que lo exponencía de tal forma que estar dentro del **** de los personajes es una aventura tanto como estar en su mundo salvaje. Nada de eso está y, en vez, se sustituye por un paisaje natural que, aunque los efectos especiales son justos y se esmeran por construir un mundo natural bello con personajes realistas, minimiza, no solo el mismo valor de su moraleja, sino la memoria de un clásico animado. Por lo tanto, la película resulta como una lógica historia de injusticia en la que la redención triunfa sobre los celos interpretada por animales que hablan y cantan. Pero no todo es malo. No podía esperarse menos de HansZimmer, que recrea la esencia y energía musical tan bien que le queda grande a la misma película. Yo lo nomino como mejor música original del 2019.
Parece que Disney no se detendrá con su intención de alimentar la nostalgia del público a través de experimentos cinematográficos que, si bien algunos tienen más éxito artístico que otros, solo nos confirman que "Nada pasa del mismo modo dos veces." (Aslan).
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I would think that Jon Favreau felt uncertain about directing this film or not. The Lion King feels very alike to the live-action The Jungle Book (2016), one of the Disney classics remake that directed previously. But, while The Jungle Book (2016) feels solid and well adapted, The Lion King (2019) feels magicless and incongruous. The truth is that The Jungle Book (1967) and The Lion King (1994) are very different.
The story of Simba and Scar is the same one, and this movie tries to recreate the 94 classic in the most accurate way. But while the main focus is to take care of the narrative line, the studio commits the atrocity of neglect the essence of the original: the extravagant animation, the mountains of elements that march and decorate a wild musical, a visual entertainment that not only explains a social-animal context but also exponentiates it in such a way that being inside of the wildness of the characters is an adventure as much as being in their wild world. None of that is in here and, instead, it's replaced by a natural landscape that, even though the special effects are fair and works hard to build a beautiful natural landscape with realistic characters, it diminish both the value of it's moral and the memory of an animated classic. Therefore, the movie ends up being a logical story about injustice in which redemption triumph over jealousy played by animals that can talk and sing. But not everything is bad. It could not be expected less from Hans Zimmer, who recreates the musical essence and energy so well that it feels bigger than the actual movie. I nominate it as best original score of 2019.
It looks like Disney won't stop with its intention of feeding the nostalgia of the public through cinematographic experiments that, if maybe some of them have more artistic success than others, only prove that "Things never happen the same way twice." (Aslan).… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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6
Jravese388Jul 21, 2019
The voice acting left much to be desired. Kinda killed it for me. That being said, the movie was an emotional and nostalgic experience for me and I’m glad I saw it
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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6
LunalalaJul 22, 2019
It’s fine... Nothing perfect... Nothing horrible... It’s basically the original with worse singing and with worse acting. I bumped it up a point for Seth Rogen. That’s all their is too say...
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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0
ventarolliJul 27, 2019
bad movie, bad plot, misplaced songs, and still propped up in a classic, pure cliche.
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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0
mishaelAug 6, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this movie sucks big time I miss old loin king that was way beter this just crap… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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0
LancedSoulSep 23, 2021
What's the point of remaking the original film if you barely do anything new about it?
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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0
willozsySep 18, 2020
The movie is longer but somehow it felt rushed on every single character development. I kind of get why the animals have no emotions shown, but this made the movie very pale. And "Can you feel the love this afternoon" with Beyonce trying toThe movie is longer but somehow it felt rushed on every single character development. I kind of get why the animals have no emotions shown, but this made the movie very pale. And "Can you feel the love this afternoon" with Beyonce trying to show off her singing skill instead of trying to have a decent duet is just unforgivable. Please stop ruining these classics and come up with some original materials, Disney.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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0
Ponds98May 31, 2021
A "copy and paste" without soul of the original opera and even without the most important scene of the movie. the discussion about life between Simba and Rafiki that explain the main message of life about the movie.
A cold and unnecessaryA "copy and paste" without soul of the original opera and even without the most important scene of the movie. the discussion about life between Simba and Rafiki that explain the main message of life about the movie.
A cold and unnecessary copy without soul… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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4
ROFLoomJul 20, 2019
I really really wanted this movie to be good. When I saw the teaser back in November I was convinced this was going to be an absolute masterpiece, hands down Disney's best live action film with Jon Favreau at the helm (even though Jungle BookI really really wanted this movie to be good. When I saw the teaser back in November I was convinced this was going to be an absolute masterpiece, hands down Disney's best live action film with Jon Favreau at the helm (even though Jungle Book really didn't do much for me, Iron Man and Elf are great movies at least). I also almost always disagree with critics. I liked Aladdin, it had weaknesses that easily could've been avoided (Jafar, like what in the actual hell were they thinking?) so I wanted to disagree with them on this too. I was so surprised when I saw it was getting mediocre reviews. But I really do see what the critics meant. This movie felt like a manufactured, corporate check list. "Oh okay, now we gotta do this scene, now this happens" with no fluency or flow to it. Like Nala shows up, they say hi real quick, then they're just in love walking off together. It felt so damn forced. Like barely a conversation... and then "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" was during the day? Took so much away from it. Timon and Pumbaa weren't awful, just worse versions of the original. I'm not one of those people that is pissed Disney is remaking their films, I like the concept of live action versions of these, but make them GOOD. Not corporate printouts. Either studio execs are getting involved again or the directors just don't give a **** The ending was so rushed and by the numbers. The lines felt like they were just being read. And Donald Glover was far from the right choice for Simba. Just didn't fit the role. I felt like it was hard to give a **** about him once he was an adult. And the song sequences were okay, but they tried too hard to keeping it as realistic as possible. Just make it look realistic and make the animals do cool **** like they did in the "Just Can't Wait to be King" animated version. Elephants can't actually fly but they made Dumbo look somewhat real and fly. Dumbo's design was actually great, it looked real but still stayed true tot he cartoon. Also, I don't know how you make Mufasa's death not sad but they managed to pull it off somehow. Many of the lines were attempted to be said differently and it just sucked. "Long Live the King" was pretty bad. Also the hyenas were terrible. I loved them in the original they were hilarious. These new ones were so instantly forgettable it's crazy. Also bad voice casting, when hearing the voices is so bad it takes you out of the movie because they just don't go together, you know you cast the wrong people. Beyonce was like fine, nothing special. Only great thing I can say was Circle of Life. Rafiki's part was really dialed down. He had a lot more dialogue in the original, a lot more expression and emotion. All the characters did. Circle of Life was good, visuals were great, the heart and soul were just gone. And the way Simba defeats Scar is different and just lazy. Sometimes they tried to compensate by just flooding the movie with music. The music is great but it needs to be used to compliment the story and emotions, not distract us from them. And some parts were so slow, like that mouse Scar captures in the original, it like follows that thing for like 1-2 minutes just scurrying around before Scar even shows up. I know most of this was negative, I'd say it isn't the worst it could have been, but could have been so much better. I don't see why they don't just bring the same voice actors back? They're like all still alive, they brought James Earl Jones back, why not Jeremy Irons, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin. Why not have Ed, the moronic silent hyena? He had me dying in the original. Overall, this movie did feel like a corporate cash grab. The fact these movies just say "Disney presents" instead of "Walt Disney Pictures Presents" has corporate written all over it. Disney is losing it's heart, soul and creativity in favor of money. And there's nothing wrong with a company making money, but do it with some dignity.… Expand
5 of 8 users found this helpful53
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6
BerikJul 23, 2019
The Lion King (2019) is in every sense of the word a carbon copy of The Lion King from 1994. Except, it misses all the things that made that movie good, and this movie is just the empty husk that remains.

To be clear, The Lion King (2019) isThe Lion King (2019) is in every sense of the word a carbon copy of The Lion King from 1994. Except, it misses all the things that made that movie good, and this movie is just the empty husk that remains.

To be clear, The Lion King (2019) is NOT a bad movie! It just misses some very important elements that the original had. By going the direction of Live Action (which is basically just CGI) the expressiveness of characters is lost, as emotions don't come across through facial animations. Animals have the same empty stare on their faces (Which is more realistic ofcourse) but don't express the emotions that should go with their lines.

The visuals on screen are very beautiful, but do little for the movie. The music sounded muted, and didn't match what was happening on screen. Which is surprising considering the original movie did this right, but in this version the music feels downgraded. Considering the voices are done by popular people rather than experienced voice actors, this feels cheap. That brings me to the next point: The voice actors.

There are a few characters like Simba, Nala and Scar that have voice actors that don't seem to match very well. Especially when 'Can you feel the love tonight' starts playing, there's a lack of harmony between Donald Glover and Beyonce. One is just talking, and the other one tries way to hard. A shame.

In this version, Scar actually has a backstory! He's the brother of Mufasa (a.k.a. Lion on steriods) and was beaten in a power struggle to lead. Thus he became the scarred lion that hates his brother. Other than this though, Scar is not at all impressive as a character. What's left to say? Disney clearly doesn't care about the quality of their rushed remasters, so why should we? My recommendation: Watch the original movie from 1994. You'll enjoy it way more than this movie. I give The Lion King (2019) a 6/10. It's an average movie.… Expand
3 of 5 users found this helpful32
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0
jstbrbtw123Jul 27, 2019
tiring, predictable film, and lower picture and graphics than drawing. Boring
3 of 5 users found this helpful32
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zacharyhasJul 21, 2019
This was even worse than Aladdin, a ps4 lion king wasn't needed at all and the cgi is still not believable, just the opposite.
5 of 9 users found this helpful54
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0
VrV2Jul 20, 2019
Que filme horrível, BEYONCE estragou completamente com aquela voz de M4 K K Texana. Podre!! Jay-Z deve ter gasto horrores para darem esse papel para aquele depósito de P0rra. Nojo!!
4 of 8 users found this helpful44
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0
WiltordJul 22, 2019
The movie have no soul ,they shouldnt cast Childish Gambino and Beyoncé,the old one had chills in every word on it ;this one is pure marketing and using of stars names..
3 of 6 users found this helpful33
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6
TyranianNov 24, 2019
One of the better 'live-action' remakes but basically not as good as the original in every way. Visuals are amazing though.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
naufri27Nov 19, 2019
Visualmente destacable. Más todo el cariño, simpatía y entusiamo de la original, no está por ninguna parte.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
AxeTAug 14, 2019
The original is my all time favorite Disney animated film. This faithful somewhat unnecessary reboot is not live action but 100% animated contrary to reporting, and its amazing technical feat is the only reason it's a valid remake of anThe original is my all time favorite Disney animated film. This faithful somewhat unnecessary reboot is not live action but 100% animated contrary to reporting, and its amazing technical feat is the only reason it's a valid remake of an adored classic. It drags but it's impossible to tell if due to having seen it before or would also do so for new viewers.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
ImaginaryCriticJul 28, 2019
This Lion King is just... I don't know where to put it honestly. Its a cash grab definitely and its totally random. I'm glad they stick to the script but it doesn't work at all. I found myself in a position where I didn't know why I wasThis Lion King is just... I don't know where to put it honestly. Its a cash grab definitely and its totally random. I'm glad they stick to the script but it doesn't work at all. I found myself in a position where I didn't know why I was watching it and I really wish I didn't.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
wales7388Sep 20, 2019
when the movie try its tries its somewhat best but ultimately didn't think big enough. the musical numbers were a HUGE dissapointment
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
zNeverSleepingOct 13, 2019
Acredito que as pessoas assistiram o filme com uma concepção totalmente errada do seu proposito, muito por conta do marketing talvez. Esse remake, aos meus olhos, tem como objetivo mostrar a historia de outra maneira, graficamente. Isso nãoAcredito que as pessoas assistiram o filme com uma concepção totalmente errada do seu proposito, muito por conta do marketing talvez. Esse remake, aos meus olhos, tem como objetivo mostrar a historia de outra maneira, graficamente. Isso não impacta em nada o primeiro filme, até porque, você deve assistir o primeiro para, ai sim, assistir este. E levando isso em conta, o filme não peca em nada, seguindo fidedignamente até as expressões faciais dos animais - na medida do possível, é claro - com um fotorrealismo inimaginável até então.

Não sou um fan avido da obra original, sendo assim, não sou muito critico e, por conta disso, entendo sim a desaprovação, mas pelo menos a mim isso não afetou em nada, só aumentou a experiencia!… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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7
jacob4Jul 20, 2019
The Lion King reboot was a fantastical looking spectacle, but at the same time felt like a predictable rerun of the original! If you grew up watching the original the reboot does a good job hitting the right nostalgia point at times, but alsoThe Lion King reboot was a fantastical looking spectacle, but at the same time felt like a predictable rerun of the original! If you grew up watching the original the reboot does a good job hitting the right nostalgia point at times, but also kinda lets down your excitement and nostalgia with some awkward altered scenes and unnecessary padding and extended scenes. And due to the movie trying to be too realistic some scenes just don't pack the same emotional charm and magic as the original. It's a great watch but you just can't beat the original!… Expand
5 of 11 users found this helpful56
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10
ChristianMurcaJul 19, 2019
Amei, a experiencia foi unica, a realidade é assustadoramente incrível, nos leva a crer que foi feito com animais de verdade. Logicamente nao seria igual a animacao, uma vez que falamos de live action, cujo objetivo principal e levarAmei, a experiencia foi unica, a realidade é assustadoramente incrível, nos leva a crer que foi feito com animais de verdade. Logicamente nao seria igual a animacao, uma vez que falamos de live action, cujo objetivo principal e levar realidade ao filme, entao estou estremamente satisfeito..… Expand
8 of 18 users found this helpful810
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5
EliseLewisJul 22, 2019
Loved every bit of this movie! Reminded me of my childhood! From the beginning to the end I could not look away!
2 of 5 users found this helpful23
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7
Creeper3455Jul 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Thanks Universal. That atrocious Cats trailer automatically gave a bonus point to this movie.
And yes,little Simba is a precious boi...whatever that means. Oh,and Spoilers.

The Lion King 2019! Uhh…you can see it now. In theaters,IMAX and Dolby Cinema. There's really nothing noteworthy about it...Seriously.
Ok,but before we start getting mad about it,let's say a few positives,since it does have some.
The Effects make this movie basically look like a Tech Demo you'd see from E3,from the animals to the landscapes to the tiniest bit of details,to the point to where some of it is shot like a National Geographic documentary. This Art Department is to be blessed for the magic they crafted on screen. Of course you should see it in IMAX. Didn't you get it from the caption? It also shares a spot with Godzilla King Of The Monsters in terms of Artistic Achievements. You make monsters wrecking buildings feel as real as a Da Vinci painting,and NOW you make talking animals feel realistic as ****
Hans Zimmer's score may be the greatest part of this movie. He did understand that it's the remake of a movie he already scored,so he fully embraces the Broadway-style musical numbers and gives it his all with the orchestral compositions,which really were the one thing that kept me smiling (and give me some form of emotion) during the movie,especially with the fan favourite moments (I Was Just Trying To Be Brave Like You,The Stampede etc),which really kick into high gear when 'that' scene is playing. Seriously,there's a part (that we'll also talk about later) that has one of the more swelling moments in the Score. Some of the new content is worthwhile for a laugh or two,but still doesn't really make up for the 2hr Runtime,and the cast is fabulous. Throw in Jeremy Irons and it would've been perfect.
Although it's also one of the main problems.
While the actors portray any form of emotion on-screen,they do feel a bit uncanny,since the CG Animals never embrace any emotion in their faces. Even the Death of Mufasa. While touching (thanks,Zimmer),it kinda feels awkward,since,again,CG Animals with emotionless faces. Another thing that bugged me (don't take it with the other Disney remakes) is that...You know Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary for the Xbox 360,where you can switch between the first Xbox's graphics and the new 360 graphics while playing the game? Yeah? Well,cut the new parts of this new Lion King rendition,couple it with the Animated movie (in an eventual DVD) and you have a version of The Lion King where you can change between animated and live-action (?) with the push of a button. For those who don't get it,it's almost a shot-for-shot remake of the Animated one. No flair of its own,no real value of reason to exist (unlike the last Disney movie that we didn't need)...Just a good ole' safe Disney cash machine.
Ok,so...That swelling sequence. When Simba falls to the ground,sleeping (after a talk with Timon and Pumbaa),there's a droplet of hair (of his) flying away from him,and we follow it just fine (alongside the best musical part of the score),but it just goes on and on after a point. It's that long. Oh,and it makes up for a poop joke. HA HA movie.
I really hated how they began the 3rd Act. No offense to Beyonce's new song "Spirit" ,which sounds lovely and all,but enough with these badass sequences set to a hip song.
Also...Just STOP PUTTING JUMPSCARES IN FRANCHISE MOVIES. Especially when it's "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" playing. PLEASE. JUST STOP. And why is Mufasa portrayed as Superman everything he pops up on screen?
Look. This new version of The Lion King feels like a cash machine,but a disappointing one at that. Even if I say that it's good and/or great (as a 7/10) feels like a disappointment. It was supposed to be the end of a dark tunnel of 2019 Disney remakes,why is it just another fine Disney remake and not a really good one?!? I guess you could say because executives. Those who don't want to risk something really beloved and expand it to new horizons… Expand
4 of 12 users found this helpful48
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4
DarknlovleyJul 30, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie lacked a lot of emotion and they took away scars be prepared song the only thing good about the movie was the visuals… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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7
Speach01Jul 20, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So my biggest problem is that there wasn’t hardly any facial expressions. I also feel like some of the crucial parts were missing. For example, when rufiki is fighting the hyenas when pride rock was being taken back, rufiki was in the middle in the animated film but in this current film it he didn’t. I felt like that was a crucial. Other then that I feel like it hit nearly every point it needed to.… Expand
3 of 10 users found this helpful37
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10
ReallyyJul 19, 2019
Loved it, so did my family!, simbas voice was so nostalgic, this movie will hit all the right spots for true lovers of the Disney classic version
6 of 21 users found this helpful615
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10
gencarlosJul 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. this is a perfect movie, I loved all the photography, the musics, beyoncé is the real queen and she slay… Expand
6 of 21 users found this helpful615
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10
thinklogicallyJul 19, 2019
I loved the movie so much! Amazing production, animation, and voicing. A classic reimagined!
5 of 18 users found this helpful513
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10
Gbseok24Jul 19, 2019
Perfeito o filme, e a dublagem da Beyoncé foi muito esplendorosa e marcante.
5 of 18 users found this helpful513
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10
BeydullaJul 19, 2019
the movie was beautiful, the graphics were alluring and the story was marvelous - as was before - the acting was not bad, many critics have trashed the voice acting but I can assure you it was far from bad. the music was exceptional as was inthe movie was beautiful, the graphics were alluring and the story was marvelous - as was before - the acting was not bad, many critics have trashed the voice acting but I can assure you it was far from bad. the music was exceptional as was in the original; and the new Spirit scene was otherworldly, however, when it comes to the best, Billy and Seth stole the show, it was hysterical and a great movie to show the family. though remakes are often done badly, or simply aren't the same, The Lion King maintained its emotional essence. I would advise everyone to go and relax, laugh and enjoy the movie as if it was never told before. I can sure this will win awards at upcoming shows - it was just that good (for the millionth time)… Expand
5 of 18 users found this helpful513
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10
Simp1999Jul 19, 2019
A classic story that transcends time and permeates the deepest corners of pop culture gets a beautifully divine realistic re-imagination.
Do NOT listen to the critics. They're old and let nostalgia and emotions cloud their judgement; theA classic story that transcends time and permeates the deepest corners of pop culture gets a beautifully divine realistic re-imagination.
Do NOT listen to the critics. They're old and let nostalgia and emotions cloud their judgement; the movie is a must watch and deserves better than it gets.… Expand
5 of 18 users found this helpful513
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10
SebCremerJul 19, 2019
INCREDIBLE VISUALS. The music was out of this world! Do wish it was more animated and less REAListic. 10/10
5 of 18 users found this helpful513
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10
EmmanuelSeballoJul 19, 2019
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Está bien vergas
La neta si esta bien cool
Super recomendada 10/10
Solo que me faltó la parte de timón bailando el hula hula… Expand
6 of 22 users found this helpful616
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10
KkkkkJul 19, 2019
Amazing got really emotional lucky I didn't listen to critics, they really just hate the fact it's a remake
6 of 22 users found this helpful616
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10
LetitbeyJul 19, 2019
I loved the movie, the animation was gorgeous. Going to see it again with friends this weekend. The music was amazing. Hans Zimmerman did wonderful on the score.
5 of 19 users found this helpful514
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10
GameNerd69Jul 19, 2019
A MUST watch
Visuals are next level and every frame was a sight to behold
Recommend watching in IMAX
5 of 19 users found this helpful514
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10
sernJul 19, 2019
Movie was drop dead gorgeous
Beyoncé's voice acting and singing was powerful
Would very much watch again because the visuals were just that beautiful!
5 of 19 users found this helpful514
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10
PanchogulJul 19, 2019
Emocionante, nostálgica y enternecedora.
Para mí fue realmente bello ver al rey león en un nuevo formato, estuvo bien que hayan dejado todo intacto, la vi en 3D y estuvo alucinante, sin duda alguna me la voy a repetir
. Si respetan laEmocionante, nostálgica y enternecedora.
Para mí fue realmente bello ver al rey león en un nuevo formato, estuvo bien que hayan dejado todo intacto, la vi en 3D y estuvo alucinante, sin duda alguna me la voy a repetir
.
Si respetan la historia original se quejan de que es repetitiva y que no ofrece nada nuevo, si alteran la historia y a sus personajes sea bueno o malo igual se quejan. Para mi estuvo excelente digan lo que digan.… Expand
5 of 20 users found this helpful515
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10
ImBaby2127Jul 19, 2019
BEAUTIFUL.
Lion King 2019 is paving the way for even more jaw dropping animations!
Must watch
4 of 16 users found this helpful412
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10
PricciJul 19, 2019
Great! Probably the best live action until now. The movie is so beautiful and the songs are amazing
3 of 12 users found this helpful39
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9
petemhnJul 22, 2019
Took me about a half hour or so to get used to the live action aspect but once I got into it I loved it, the voice acting and music are better than the original in my opinion. The live action won't be for everyone but if you can get behind itTook me about a half hour or so to get used to the live action aspect but once I got into it I loved it, the voice acting and music are better than the original in my opinion. The live action won't be for everyone but if you can get behind it you will enjoy it. This is just as good as the original if not better as far as I am concerned.… Expand
2 of 8 users found this helpful26
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8
Davrosdaleks1Aug 12, 2019
Found this computer-generated remake to be an entertaining on the whole with a few caveats.

The movie looks so amazing and photo-realistic. The background in particular is really impressive, I'm surprised this film had only one real settingFound this computer-generated remake to be an entertaining on the whole with a few caveats.

The movie looks so amazing and photo-realistic. The background in particular is really impressive, I'm surprised this film had only one real setting shot. You really can't tell the difference between this landscape and the real world. Director John Favreau (Iron Man; Jungle Book) has some interesting shots in this. At times, the movie feels like a nature documentary.

Plotwise, this is probably the least ambitious of the recent Disney remakes. Unlike Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, which clung to the plot structure of the originals but also added new elements, this one just retells the basic story. Still, I'm not hating it. This isn't the 90's Psycho. It's not word-by-word. What works for me here is that the jokes are almost all new and they work really well.

Cast is decent. All the funny characters jive. Donald Glover as adult Simba and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar do a good job as the hero and villain. However, Beyonce as adult Nala sometimes really comes across as reading off the page without a whole lot of effort.

The background music really sells the scenes, but admittedly Hans Zimmer basically just rehashes the music from the first film.

This contains all the classic songs from the original. However, "Be Prepared" has been changed to a half-it's-length spoken word song with reworked lyrics. I know at one point the news was that they were cutting this song. (Either for time or Ejiofor just didn't have the pipes.) I'm guessing this was added back due to the backlash but modified to accomodate either or both of the potential issues just mentioned. I actually would've preferred if they left the song out rather than going with this neutered version, which doesn't quite work.

If you feel that the recent Disney remakes are soulless cashgrabs, this really won't be the one to change your mind. Despite coasting with the story, I personally found this to be engaging.… Expand
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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10
JAKEJACOBJORDSep 17, 2021
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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10
sernboardJul 19, 2019
The soundtrack was amazing and the visuals were STUNNING! My kids and I loved it very much and are looking forward to watching it in 3D!
5 of 21 users found this helpful516
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10
JcannoJul 19, 2019
The movie was really as good as an animation can get. My whole family was delighted and surprised at the film
5 of 21 users found this helpful516
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10
MuneneJul 19, 2019
This is a visual masterpiece! While staying true to the original, it adds something new and fresh
13 of 56 users found this helpful1343
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10
suiteJul 19, 2019
A Disney acerta ao trazer este grande clássico de volta pra as novas gerações. Beyoncé mais uma vez toma para si as atenções e desempenha com maestria a sua personagem Nala. Sem palavras pra tamanha perfeição! Obrigado Disney! Obrigado Nala!
3 of 13 users found this helpful310
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10
viniciusnJul 24, 2019
the movie is good, the look doesn't have much to talk about, perfect, the voiceovers were great, it's a good movie for the new generation.
2 of 9 users found this helpful27
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10
JeebyWeeby123Jul 19, 2019
This movie has breathtaking visuals. The story is AMAZING. Just because it is a remake some people are hating on it. I truly believe that this movie is 10/10 in my opinion.
3 of 14 users found this helpful311
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10
thiagofariaJul 19, 2019
Tudo que eu esperava ver!! Sem perder a originalidade do filme de 1994, canções maravilhosas repaginadas!! Tudo maravilhoso!!
3 of 14 users found this helpful311
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10
JonathanvicenteJul 19, 2019
Bom demais, pau no cu dos críticos que ficam frescando, agora aquela merda de cats vão querer aclamar
3 of 14 users found this helpful311
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10
NinabhiveJul 19, 2019
The visual are amazing, the actors too . Mrs Carter sounds very very good she puts emotions. Chiwetel Ejiofor , Seth Rogen and Florence Kasumba sound amazing I was surprised ! Long live !
3 of 14 users found this helpful311
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9
SlickOpinionJul 19, 2019
Beautiful! The shots and special effects were phenomenal. Though some of the powerful scenes from the original didn’t seem as strong in the remake, it doesn’t take away from it being a great film. And Timon & Puumba, the dynamic duo of theBeautiful! The shots and special effects were phenomenal. Though some of the powerful scenes from the original didn’t seem as strong in the remake, it doesn’t take away from it being a great film. And Timon & Puumba, the dynamic duo of the year! HILARIOUS!… Expand
4 of 19 users found this helpful415
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