WHEN a film releases as a shot-for-shot remake of the original, comparison is inevitable. The Lion King (2019) brings stunning visuals to the table but, not much else. It shares the rest of the package with the 1994 animated version, and the original wins out in every category. While this new attempt is not inherently awful, it serves no purpose as long as the superior version exists. But then again, who thought Disney’s intentions were artistically pure to begin with?
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The CGI takes your breath away…until you notice the mouths and facial expressions. In a quest to achieve realism, none of the animals emote with their faces. So a beautiful nature documentary plays out on screen, but the animals do not come across as real characters. None of them have any defining traits. They all look like real lions or birds and kudos to the animators but, that does not make for a good film. In a quest to see if they could, they forgot to ask if they should.
When shots noticeably zoom out and obscure characters’ mouths during long dialogue sequences, you know there is an issue. And in 2019, slow motion zoom outs should not be shot at two frames per second. Frame rate stuttering that noticeable is embarrassing. The disconnect between the “lively” voice-over work and stoic animal models leaves the whole ordeal feeling soulless; not to mention Mufasa’s rag-doll-esque death sequence.
Compounding the issue, the voice-over work suffers from a number of horrible performances. The banter between cub Simba and Nala was surprisingly stilted and difficult to endure. However, Pumbaa and Timone easily steal the show. Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner give wonderful performances as the duo, and brighten any scene they appear in. John Oliver, once you get past his recognizable delivery style, plays a serviceable to good Zazu. The remaining voice actors produced nothing of value. Lines were delivered flat and uninspired. Iconic dialogue lifted straight from the original movie did not carry the same emotional weight this time around. Nothing sounded as though two people were actually talking to one another. The hyenas in particular sounded disjointed and off. It would not be surprising to hear Beyonce recorded all of her lines over the phone.
Speaking of Beyonce, the music. For renowned musical numbers, boy were these versions dull and uninspired. Once elaborate, energetic, and colorful sequences found themselves reduced to long walks through the woods. Again, in order to maintain a “realistic” art style, director Jon Favreau sacrificed what made the original so beloved in the first place. Additionally, the covered songs do not surpass the 1994 classic’s. Listening to Beyonce oversing with unnecessary pitch changes just does not cut it.
The Lion King (2019) presents nothing new. While not intrinsically terrible, by failing to improve on or change anything from the 1994 original it fails to make a case for its existence. Cutting dialogue entirely and relying solely on the songs to convey the story would have been a more original and enjoyable approach (although much less marketable). At some point directors will realize chasing realism to the detriment of the film is an artistically bankrupt endeavor. Until then, they will gladly continue accepting the unholy sums of money this film will assuredly make.
