I would like to give a brief review of the new Lion King film that has done its rounds and received mixed responses from movie goers. My initial response was that I had been dooped again, of course, shame on me for falling to nostalgia again. Nostalgia is one hell of a thing to market to, and the studios will never have problems filling the seats when it comes to remaking the classics. But The Lion King was always going to be a tricky film to remake successfully, and here's why.
The Double Edged Sword of CGI
Unlike Aladdin or any other animation that was given the live action treatment, The Lion King found itself in a situation where it could either: a) Continue the story and follow Simba's daughter and her hubby leading a new pride or b) Go with CGI for the realistic look. Option B seemed the only way to go. But in doing so, the film lost it's "human" aspect. Sounds like a weird thing to say, but what made the animated film work was that we could truly relate to the character's based on their emotions and facial expressions. The ability to convey emotions using facial expressions is a very unique human trait, and when applied to the animated lions, it gave them something that they would not otherwise have in the animal kingdom.
We can relate to Simba's helplessness and tears, for example, as he desperately looks for aid for his father who lies motionless after the stampede scene, or Scar's genuine look of shock and fear when Simba returns to pride rock. Even Nala's seductive look towards Simba in the animated film tells of genuine, romantic feelings. All these emotions are missing in the new film, and it is indeed a costly sacrifice for the sake of a realistic look. The terrifying thing about a lion in the wild is that it will have the same expression on it's face when killing you as when when its taking a simple walk. Because of this, the lines and reactions seem robotic, as it became impossible to have the cake and eat it too. Even bringing James Earl Jones back for his old role as Mufasa, failed to do justice to the original. Which brings us to the next point.
Can't Beat the Original Cast
A matter of personal taste, I know, but one that I think many would agree with. You just can't beat the originals. The natural wit and ability of actors such as Rowan Atkinson and Jeremy Irons was just something that cannot be touched. Even the performance of Beyonce and Childish Gambino felt incredibly forced, hurried and even cringe worthy. The film even had slight notes of the sometimes annoying political correctness culture, I allude of course to the fact that the Hyena Ed, was not portrayed as a somewhat retarded individual as was the case in the animated version. Even Timone and Pumba carried on in a way that reeked of desperation for a laugh, but it was interesting that the word 'farted' used in Pumba's song about his childhood, was not censored in the same way that it was in the animated version. Clearly demonstrating that the word has lost its potency with children who, in today's world, are 10 going on 21.
The conclusion, The Lion King, like similar films, draws its audience in with nostalgia, and in a similar manner, disappoints like those who have come before it. While certainly looking impressive and scoring with great visuals, I would suggest streaming this one if you can, or watch a good film, either/or.