Beautiful and Poignant Film

Rating: 10/10 (6 August 2019)

The Lion King is my favorite Disney film, and this movie made me realize why all over again! It beautiful, poignant and a poetic exploration of the meaning of life. I am actually astonished by all the 1 star reviews for this movie! So here's my two-cents as someone who absolutely loves The Lion King.
Several people are writing that it has no emotional depth.
The original Lion King is a veritable emotional roller coaster from start to finish, and this film is no different. For me, the realism gave it more emotional depth. I wanted to curl into a ball and wail when Mufasa died. There are so many other instances in the movie when I found myself unable to hold back tears. (One other scene of particular note is when Mufasa tells Simba 'I live inside you.') In fact, I cried for a good hour after the movie was over. I was so emotional wrought from not just the heartbreak but the power of this film. It made me appreciate how well-written and profound The Lion King really is!
Some have said they didn't feel an emotional connection because the characters didn't have facial expressions. This is a ridiculous statement. This is a realistic adaption, and the reality is animals do not express facially like humans do. Had they done so in this movie, it would have taken away the realism. The emotions of each character came across beautifully. You can clearly see the father-son bond of Mufasa and Simba on display, and it makes it all the more painful when Simba witnesses his father's death.
Some of the negative reviews have also complained that it was a shot-for-shot live action remake of the original with nothing new. For those who are saying that, I think you've missed the point of Disney's live action movies. They are meant to be exactly like the original but realistic. I would be incredibly upset if Disney changed anything about the story.
Another gripe I've noticed with the 1 star reviews is they're upset Disney is doing live action versions of their animated cartoons instead of making original content. True Disney fans aren't complaining about this. I, as well as most fans of the originals, enjoy watching these realistic renditions of the movies we grew up with and love. If you have a problem with 'unoriginal Disney content' and these movies being shot-for-shot live actions remakes, then why are you even bothering to watch them at all? Or are you not watching them and just giving 1 star reviews to make some sort of statement? Either way, it's ridiculous.
The only real negative I can say about this film is Beyonce voicing Nala. Beyonce's voice acting did not capture the character of Nala in any meaningful way. That's really my only complaint. Otherwise, this is beautiful, well told and visually stunning movie. And I must say, I am so thrilled that all these years later James Earl Jones is still the voice of Mufasa. 25 years later, and The Lion King still has me by the heartstrings! If you're a fan of The Lion King, watch this movie.