THE LION KING
DIRECTOR Jon Favreau
CASTDonald Glover, Beyoncé, Seth Rogen, John
Oliver, James Earl Jones, Billy Eichner, Alfre
Woodard, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Keegan-Michael Key,
Shahadi Wright Joseph, JD McCrary, Eric André
PLOTYoung Simba (JD McCrary, later Donald
Glover) is destined to become king of Pride Rock
like his father Mufasa (James Earl Jones). But his
uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) plots for the throne,
and Simba ends up alone in exile. Can he ever
regain his kingdom?
OUTNOW
RATEDPG/118 MINSHHH
[FILM]
VERDICTThe great circle of life has
thrown up a gorgeous, star-studded story, but
trading feeling for realism means that we lose
something of the original film’s excellence.ANOTHER MONTH, ANOTHERDisney
remake of an animated classic. There are two
reasons that this film exists, and neither is
because anything was missing from 1994’s furry
Hamlet. The first is to show off genuinely
dazzling visual effects, technological marvels
that give us photo-real animals in an absolutely
convincing setting. The second is to showcase
the ability of Disney and director Jon Favreau,
following 2016’s reimagining ofThe Jungle
Book, to assemble a world-class voice cast.
But it’s still not enough to stand shoulder-to-
shoulder with the great king of the past.
It doesn’t seem right to describe this as
“live action”, when the visuals were created
in the London offices of visual effects wizards
MPC. Whatever its category, the immediate
and overwhelming impression is so life-like
that you expect David Attenborough to
start narrating at any moment. Every hair
and whisker is in place, every footprint raises
a puff of dust. You’ll believe that Pride Rock
is a real place somewhere in Africa, watching
over a landscape kept in careful balance by
the stewardship of its great lion king, Mufasa.
He is voiced, once again, by James Earl Jones,
because some things are sacrosanct even in
this mixed-up age. Our hero, Mufasa’s son
Simba (JD McCrary; replaced in adulthood
by Donald Glover), is just as cute and clumsy
as ever as he takes his first steps into the big,
wide world.
The big problem with this photo-realism,
however, is that animal mouths are not
designed for words, and their faces do not
express human emotion. What we gain in
realism we lose in expression, even in their
limpid eyes; it’s distinctly jarring when these
cats speak, and even more when they break
into song. You can’t help but mentally impose
the performances of their 2D predecessors andsee far more, well, animation in the older
characters.
This emotional gap is somewhat
covered over by a talented voice cast,
with Chiwetel Ejiofor making a bitter yet
seductive Scar and John Oliver snarking
up a storm as the fussy Zazu. But it’s not
until Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen rock up as
Timon and Pumba, respectively, that the film
finds its groove. Favreau gives them their head,
and they inject a much-needed shot of humour
and energy into all the Shakespearean drama
of Pride Rock. For a while they succeed in
lifting the pace from a stately big-cat stalk to
a full stampede, at least until Simba’s old pal
Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) turns up and
drags him back to save the pride from evil
uncle Scar’s predations.
It’s all beautifully crafted and carefully
conceived, without ever entirely justifying its
existence. A few new songs increase the running
time and chances of an Oscar, yet mean it
sometimes drags before the lost prince returns
to reclaim his throne. So, you might feel the love
tonight, but perhaps not quite as much as before.
HELEN O’HARA“Yes, I’m gonna eat you.
It’s the circle of life bro, deal with it.”ON SCREEN