The Lion King is a competent remake, but there is less of a true emotional arc for Simba

Rating: 6/10 (22 January 2020)

The claims of this remake being a soulless, cold twin of the original Lion King is certainly overstated, but the emotional punch is lighter. The visuals do look great, and I never had a problem with the look or talk of the animals. If this is a way to reestablish the impact of The Lion King to a new generation, it seems completely worthwhile for me. More than any film, this one truly begs the question: to what extent is art's value affected by what came before it? What does a near-identical remake of a film deserve as its rating? I don't have a clear cut answer, but am generally going on the guideline that other films are just context and it should be judged primarily on its own merits. As it is unchanged from the original, I have no problems with the story, though the second act was duller than I recall. My biggest problem was the ending: several cliche lines about Simba "remembering who he is" rang hollow, as did the whole transition from Hakuna Matata nihilism to Circle of Life generosity. The visual splendor of the climactic fight scenes underscore how little is really going on with the characters. The songs also didn't have the same magic as the original. Still, at worst it's overly derivative of an excellent film, and it's satisfying enough on its own.