As I knew would happen, I have a love/hate relationship with this film. On the one hand, I hate it. It cut out Zazu’s songs (both from the movie and the musical), it cut out much of the comedy for a more serious take, and it cut out half of my all-time favorite scene (which was the best part of that scene). That being said, as a new version designed to introduce a new generation to The Lion King, I think it did a fantastic job. It was a beautiful movie and I cried three times.
First was right away. I started to get teary-eyed with the image of the sunrise and the song, “Circle of Life”, in the very beginning. It was a tear meant to remind me of a time in my life that I miss dearly and was simply my wishing my parents were still around. Those tears got worse as I realized how “on the nose” the film was from animal placement to body movement. It was bringing to life scenes in an almost poetic mirroring. That being said, I am grateful I could see the movie with my oldest friend–the one who doesn’t flinch (or possibly even notice) when I cry right next to her in a theatre (I did that with Star Wars and Aladdin too). The second set of tears came with Mufasa and Simba talking about how stars are loved ones/kings watching down on us (which was part of my inspiration for my tattoo). The third and final set of tears came when I realize they removed my favorite scene.
I am a ridiculously emotional person who is always trying to find symbolism in everything. I love The Lion King as an adult because of three important reasons: 1. I love the song “They Live in You” and I cry when I hear it every single time. 2. I love the idea of loved ones among the stars watching down on us. 3. I think the Rafiki/Simba scene about the past being painful is a powerful life-lesson that everyone should learn and I find it very personal.
This scene was not in the film and that in itself is heartbreaking to me. I have a difficult time getting passed that. My favorite scene is Simba “meeting Rafiki” and thinking he’s a crazy monkey who suddenly gets his hopes up that his father might be alive. Instead, we’re shown that the father is alive through the son (a beautiful concept). James Earl Jones’s deep voice and purple shape in the clouds is extremely powerful and unforgettable. Unfortunately, “cloud Mufasa” was a let down because he was not fully formed and all we heard was a muffled Jones voice in a white puffball. However, the absolute worst part is that the entire “smacked with a stick to showcase how the past can hurt” with my favorite line: “You can either run from it or learn from it. So what are you going to do?” was removed from the film. The only redemption I will accept is if this is a deleted scene, however, making it a deleted scene on the DVD is still upsetting.
What truly gets me is that this film took out much of the comedy for the sake of making a more dramatic film; and yet, they left out that very dramatic and thought-provoking scene. They chose to make the hyenas more serious and removed 90% of their comedy, which is understandable. This time the hyenas are dangerous instead of dumb. However, the Zazu comedy was always wonderful in contrast to the lions, but most of it was removed. John Oliver as Zazu was a phenomenal choice and he is the reason Zazu is funny at all. But, in truth, I wanted the Coconut song scene!
They also removed the “Morning Report” song, but at least kept that scene. Since that song was from the musical and DVD version only, it is not necessary to make the movie great. I can get over the decrease in Zazu because the film surprised me by actually having a version of the “Be Prepared”. When I first heard this movie was coming out I also heard that entire scene was removed for the obvious Nazi-reference. However, the song itself is important for Scar’s character and so I am glad they gave him a version and even made it more serious by removing the comedic hyenas.
Of course, no review would be complete without reference to Timon and Pumbaa:
I think Seth Rogan’s Pumbaa and Billy Eichner’s Timon were fantastic. They were a great pairing, much like the original Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella. I thought they were beautifully designed, had a wonderful improvised-comedy, the Beauty and the Beast reference just made my day (you’ll have to see the movie to see it as I don’t believe in in-theatre filming), and I couldn’t be happier with their scenes.
Unfortunately, aside from Rogan and Eichner, I was disappointed with the adult casting. I thought little Simba and little Nala were perfect. However, I felt adult Nala (Beyonce), adult Simba (Donald Glover), and Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) were not as strong as their original counterparts. Scar was not as emotional, he was somber and a bit flat. I love the “Scarcasm”, as I used to call “Sarcasm” that (no joke). And Scar’s best line, “I’m surrounded by idiots” while rubbing his temples is removed. Understandable, since the hyenas are not the three stooges this time; however, Scar’s personality does not come through. I read an article that said he was supposed to be quiet and ready to explode. I get quiet, but there was no explosion. I think Ejiofor was more powerful fighting Nathan Fillion in Serenity than he was fighting Donald Glover here. Donald Glover was fine and probably the best of the three. However, I just felt that Matthew Brodrick was more emotional. I know that Beyonce was very excited to be in this movie and worked very hard on the music, which her original music is good. However, I feel her performance and her “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was fairly weak and very disappointing. I think someone like Jennifer Hudson would have been much more powerful. Then again, she’s busy filming Cats (so excited for that). I just wanted stronger voices, if that makes any sense.
That being said, I loved the look of the film. I thought the scenery and most of the animal designs were perfect. The only one I wasn’t a fan of was Scar. I felt he was not “Scar enough”.
In the original, Scar has a black mane, which really pops against his orange skin. I know it is not natural and so I understand trying to make him more natural, but in doing so, I do not think the scar is emphasized enough and I do not think he looks so much evil as he does old and malnourished.
I think they focused so much on the music, setting, and character design/movement that they let some of the important themes of the movie fall to the waste side. As a child, seeing this movie in theatres at 4-years-old, I had the songs memorized, wore out more copies of the tapes then my parents could handle, had countless t-shirts, sneakers, socks, and jackets AND I had a stuffed Simba who made it to high school before being so gross he had to be trashed 😦 Luckily, I went to Disneyland a couple years ago and I found a Simba pillow pet replacement who I love dearly.
How much I love this movie is hard to express, I love it so much that I couldn’t imagine it being remade ever. I even love how both the first and second are Shakespeare plays (Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet). Shakespeare + Disney fills my heart with joy. So I will applaud this movie for making the Shakespeare reference even more prominent. The uncle murders the father and marries the mother, logically, Scar “marrying” Sarabi is not in the animated film, but Scar telling Sarabi to be his queen or else was an added bonus.
I could continue to go back and forth on this film to no avail. Ultimately, I do love it, but I am deeply heartbroken that my favorite scene is removed. That is nearly unforgivable. Not cool Disney. Not cool.
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