dreamy visuals, nothing else

Rating: 7/10 (22 July 2019)

"Nostalgia is a file that removes the rough edges from the good old days"- Doug Larson
Finding joy in nostalgia when it comes to movies is rather easy. The sense of growing up with characters, and having them influence the person that you may have become is such a strong sentiment. These memories cannot be taken away, and that is true for the Lion King remake.
The 2019 Lion King version is impressive- the painstaking efforts that have gone into making the visual effects come alive are to be experienced. In 2019, going gaga over visuals effects is pretty much passe, but still The Lion King is downright astounding. The thing is that beyond the visuals, there is little else that it adds to the original, which in my humble opinion, was a seminal movie. The script, music, the voice acting, the traditional animation remains unparalleled till date.
Replace traditional animation with modern live motion capture, and the 2019 version is a shot for shot remake of the 1994 original. All the animals assemble as Simba is born, and as he grows up with his best friend Nala, Mufasa explains to him the circle of life. Scar plots with the hyenas to kill Mufasa, and Simba is chased out of the Pride Lands. He meets Pumba and Timon and grows up with them leading a hakuna matata life, till Nala comes to get him back to his rightful place as king. Scar gets his comeuppance and Simba completes the circle of life when his newborn cub is presented to the assembled animals.
Had it been a National Geographic special, there would have been no equal- please take that as a compliment, Lion King. However, even with a stellar voice cast with James Earl Jones reprising Mufasa 25 years on along with Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Beyonce, John Oliver and Chiwetel Ejiofor, Elton John's all-time classic songs, the movie lacks the emotional impact that the original was able to create. Call it corporate greed, lack of creativity and artistry or just plain laziness- nostalgia notwithstanding, it brings nothing new to the table. Director Jon Favreau did a much better job with 2016's The Jungle Book, which, in my mind is one of the best live action remakes ever.
But hey, whatever Disney touches these days turns to gold. The Lion King will might make a few billion for sure, and kids will surely enjoy this round too, but Simba's roar is decidedly low this time round.