I went into the film knowing I would obviously see the same plot of yet another one of my favourite Disney animated....
MOVIE REVIEW
Reviewed by Jehangir Ali Shah
Whether he’s playing Tony Stark’s right hand man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showcasing exquisite food as Chef Carl Casper in the movie Chef, or directing remakes of cult-classic Disney films like The Jungle Book, the constant variable in all of Jon Favreau’s work is perfection. His most recent directorial endeavor, The Lion King, is no exception.
I went into the film knowing I would obviously see the same plot of yet another one of my favourite Disney animated movies translated into live form. And I was right, the movie made me feel like I was watching an animal documentary, with a narrator about to start to describe the unfolding events on the screen. Mind you, I do not say any of this in a negative way. I feel as though the artistry that was the fur, mane and whiskers of the lions, the dung beetle rolling the giraffe excrement, or Pumbaa scratching himself behind the ear was so masterfully presented to the audience that the truth of all of it being made on computer seemed a lie.
The film, sharing collectively with its animated predecessor, boasts an incredible, superstar cast with Donald Glover (Adult Simba), Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (Adult Nala), Seth Rogen (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Scar) and John Oliver (Zazu); so you know Disney is not messing around when it wants some powerhouse performances. Also, what’s more exciting is that the original voice actor of Mufasa is back as the king of the pride lands in this remake too: the legendary James Earl Jones. The voice artistry is obviously phenomenal and I’m glad that it was so, because the real-worldliness that the filmmakers tried to inculcate in to the film made the animals devoid of any facial expression and that is something that differs widely from the original animated movie, in which all characters possessed anthropomorphic emotions. In fact, all the original Disney animated feature films felt real and engaging because the characters expressed emotions very vividly. It was in the process of trying to make everything so ‘real’ that the live-action remakes might not engage with viewers in a way that is similar to how the animated counter-parts had.
Coming to the music, it is no doubt that a soundtrack that had been put together by Hans Zimmer, Elton John and Tim Rice ought to be no less than legendary, and having to reproduce something to match it is no small task. Yet, the 2019 film manages to compare equally with the original soundtrack. Titled The Lion King: The Gift, the album is produced and curated by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, with Elton John and Hans Zimmer working yet again on the soundtrack. The new soundtrack features many of the classic, iconic songs that the fans of the original would be able to sing along to (Circle of Life, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, Hakuna Matata, Can You Feel the Love Tonight), along with some scores and songs that were new, such as ‘Spirit’, the song that sees Simba realizing his destiny and deciding to go back with Nala to the pride lands.
It feels as though most of the innovation happening with the string of remakes is the technology being used to produce the graphics and visuals of the films, which might I add is going pretty successfully as it turns out. We got to see remakes of Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and most recently Dumbo and Aladdin, all with fantastic visuals and new graphic technology making the movie experience worthwhile. At this point, it doesn’t look like Disney is slowing down with the line of remakes it intends to make, with The Lion King being its third remake movie just this year and many more already slated for release in the near future. But the visuals and graphics is not all they are revamping. Many films also have a few changes in their plots that are symbolic of the changing times; adding complexity to the plot and/or character abilities or motives. In Aladdin it was Jasmine’s political ambition to become the first female sultan of Agrabah and in The Lion King it is Nala being able to defeat Simba in a duel, able to pin him down even when he has become a full grown lion.
Something I found to be immensely crucial in this movie is the role Timon, Pumbaa and Zazu play in providing comic relief to a grim and less emotion-showing version of the film while also carrying the movie forward, making it necessary for them to have that extra bit of funny. And I am glad the script as well as the actors’ performances delivered on that. Seth Rogen really deserves to be acknowledged for being as fabulous as he was in his portrayal of the iconic warthog, Pumbaa. Billy Eichner and John Oliver, too, did justice to their characters of Timon, the bossy meerkat who calls out Pumbaa for every mistake either of them make and Zazu, Mufasa’s majordomo. Moreover, I also appreciated the little bits of lines that were changed from the original that left the fans of the original in fits as they were expecting to hear the same lines from the animated version. For example, during the ‘Hakuna Matata’ song sequence, the original movie had Timon quoting Shakespeare when Pumbaa says he thought of changing his name, saying ‘What’s in a name?’. But in the remake, Timon goes on to say, ‘To what? Brad?’. It’s these little attentions to detail and modifications like the bit of spontaneous humour I just mentioned that makes viewers appreciate the thought and dedication that goes in to making these films.
I feel as though this film did not have the purpose of adding to Disney’s credibility as a blockbuster making giant, all that was to be accomplished was for Disney to put its graphic and visual technology to the test for future use in all the blockbusters it is set to create, and it can’t create the blockbusters it needs without having the funds. A two in one deal right? And was Disney successful in what it set out to do? Of course it was. The movie is doing immensely well at the box office and a lot of the praise it is getting, including from my side, is for the phenomenal visuals. So what is the everyday movie-goer to do? Simply to watch the movie! Go and enjoy what they see. Enjoy the fact that nostalgia is being catered to through the making of these film, and that there are still excellent options for people who want the cinema experience at a time when there are other at-home movie-watching alternatives available. So, in case anyone is wondering, I would recommend watching the movie. For the laughs, for the fun, for Timon and Pumbaa. I would love to hear fellow movie-goers feedback for the movie and what they liked or did not like.
