![]() Favreau’s VFX work in The Lion King is so ahead of the competition, viewers will believe they’re watching flesh and blood creatures. It’s a case of people mistaking real-life for movies. The special effects in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 sci-fi flick 2001: A Space Odyssey were so ahead of their time that people believe he colluded with NASA to fake the 1969 moon landing. Eichner plays the facetious meerkat as a shrill little snark-machine who is bursting with personality. The duo shares an entertaining rapport, but Eichner’s Timon lights up the screen. I would gladly watch a spinoff movie where these two silly beasts go on adventures. But Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) have made it a close race. I thought that Toy Story 4’s Ducky and Bunny were 2019’s breakout comedy duo. Your attachment to their predecessors in the 1994 classic will inform how much you care about them here. Adult Simba and Nala don’t turn up until well into the movie, and their personalities didn’t pop like other characters in the film. Glover’s Simba and Beyoncé’s Nala left me wanting. Ejiofor stands out as Scar, exuding a malicious condensation with every word. This film features an extraordinary cast, but with so many talented folks on the roster, the film relegates most to minor roles. Despite knowing the plot, the moment still hurts, and the story still matters. When Scar springs his evil trap, it still feels like a heard of wildebeests stampeding through your chest. You savour every second Mufasa and Simba share, wishing against all reason that this time, fate won’t be so cruel. ![]() It also makes Scar’s machinations feel more sinister. Knowing Mufasa’s tragic fate, right from the onset, makes our time with him more meaningful. You can feel the invisible hand of fate thrusting the story ahead. ![]() That knowledge makes the story more meaningful. Think of how different watching Star Wars feels when you know Luke’s ties to Vader. People love returning to the story to see it through a new lens. Romeo and Juliet is one of history’s most popular tales. Familiarity often helps foster a better understanding of a movie’s themes. But knowing all the spoilers doesn’t lessen the story’s impact. All these years later, adult Lion King fans know the plot beat for beat. A generation of children grew up wearing-out their Lion King VHS tapes and scuffing up their DVDs. The Lion King may be the most-watched Disney movie of all time. With the help of two new friends, Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), a grownup Simba (Donald Glover) must find the strength to return home and overthrow his uncle before his greed destroys the Pride Lands. And as the years pass, his selfish desires threaten to destroy the jungle’s ecosystem. With Mufasa and Simba out of the way, Scar becomes the ruler of the jungle. Overcome with guilt, Simba flees the kingdom, too ashamed to return. So, Scar kills Mufasa, makes it look like an accident, and convinces Simba it’s all his fault. Scar stood next in line to the throne until the birth of Mufasa’s son, Simba (JD McCrary). Scar thinks the strong should take what they want. But his resentful brother Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) lives by another creed. He believes that all life exists in a delicate equilibrium, and as ruler of the land, Mufasa must keep the scales balanced. Mufasa rules his kingdom by one guiding principle: the circle of life. And it’s a good thing too since he’s also the most imposing. The reigning lion king Mufasa (James Earl Jones) may be the most benevolent animal in the jungle. I received a The Lion King story custom-built for my generation, now let the next generation have theirs. What’s wrong with swapping him out for Donald Glover, this generation’s Lando Calrissian? Why not gift viewers with musical numbers from this century’s R&B goddess Beyoncé? Let the film reach today’s audience on their terms with modern-day stars and cutting-edge animation. Why not give a new generation of moviegoers a film that speaks directly to them? Matthew Broderick, the guy who played Ferris Bueller way back in 1986, is the original voice of Simba. People keep asking one question about Disney’s latest live-action remake: Does this movie need to exist?Ī story may be timeless, but the storytelling delivery system can be modified. Before discussing director Jon Favreau’s The Lion King, there’s a Pride Lands-sized elephant in the room.
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