An Incredibly Gorgeous Film that brings Lion King and the African Savanna to life

Rating: 8/10 (16 October 2019)

Jon Favreau is back with another amazing film experience. After showing what he could do with the incredible live-action/cgi version of The Jungle Book, he's back with Lion King. I won't go into the story too much because unless you've been living under a rock, you already know the story of Simba the Lion Cub. Favreau's film truly shows us how far we have come in terms of technology and film-making. Lion King is a film that could have never been made 20 years ago. The photo-realistic CGI is absolutely incredible. The film truly captures and brings to life the magic and beauty of the Disney animated classic. It's so detailed, so beautiful, so realistic that you might actually think that you're watching a National Geographic documentary about the African Savanna.
This is a fantastic film for kids (and adults) of all ages. Though some of the photo-realism lends itself to being a bit scary for younger viewers. Particularly when the Hyenas emerge from the darkness to attack young Simba.
The voice-acting was top notch. Most of the main cast were African actors, which I'm very happy about. James Earl Jones reprises his role, from the 1994 classic, as Mufasa, while Chiwetel Ejiofor voices Scar, the evil Lion. Beyonce Knowles is adult Nala, while Jaydon McRary and Donald Glover play young and old Simba, respectively. Look out for John Oliver as Zazu, the bird advisor of Mufasa and Simba, and the hilarious Seth Rogan as Pumbaa the warthog, bringing to his portrayal the same infectious laugh and witty banter that hes' known for.