The Lion King
Starring Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor and James Earl Jones
Rated PG
A CGI remake of 1994 animated Disney classic The Lion King has ample charm and astonishing visual effects adorning a flimsy, rushed plot.
The visual effects are some of the best in cinema history: the animals are rendered with tiny dashes of human-like expression while still looking absolutely real.
The action sequences carry stampeding visceral impact and some surprisingly dark moments, and the vocal performances are compelling.
Unfortunately The Lion King’s narrative, in which exiled lion prince Simba (Donald Glover) must confront his tyrannical uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), is hurried, unfulfilling and even tone-deaf.
After the tragedy of lion king Mufasa’s (James Earl Jones) murder, it feels unbelievably tacky for the film to almost immediately launch into a toe-tapping musical number about letting go of your worries.
The film skips over Simba’s childhood during this musical number, preventing us from gaining a clear sense of his adult personality.
The entire climax feels rushed, and Simba finally faces his responsibilities and challenges Scar after receiving encouragement from Mufasa’s spirit, not through an understanding of the Pride Lands’ dire situation or his childhood friend Nala’s (Beyoncé) plea.
It’s difficult to invest in Simba’s journey when the catalyst for his personal growth is so detached from the immediate, physical conflicts of the film’s world.
This verdict might be blasphemous to some, but I found The Lion King to be a visually spectacular film with erratic pacing and flat character growth.
– Seth Lukas Hynes
