Good visual match for original but a miss

Rating: 4/10 (19 July 2019)

The visuals were stunning but even that couldn't make up for the flat voice acting. The lack of visual emoting on these "live action" animals also contributed. That said it feels like you're watching a National Geographic show at times, which is awesome.
The Beyonce song shoehorned in the middle of the film was distracting and really pulled me out of it. Her singing voice is obviously incredible but she really took over Can You Feel The Love Tonight and washed out Donald Glover's performance. It felt like they were trying to make it all about Beyonce in some parts.
Arguably the best song of the original film, Be Prepared, was cut very short and hardly noticeable in this new film. It takes a minute to even realize the song has started. While I appreciate they tried to do something different with it, it failed to impress.
On the note of the music/audio, I'm not sure why but the music and sound lacked impact. When they opened with Circle of Life it didn't have the same gravity or swelling as the original. This also contributed to the overall lack of energy in the film.
On the positives, Florence Kasumba did a brilliant job bringing a new sinister edge to Shenzy. Timon and Pumbaa played by Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen respectively were a breath of fresh air. The supporting characters made the film watchable but even they couldn't make up for flat performances by Donald Glover and Beyonce.
Ultimately, it's just another pointless Disney regurgitation of beloved films for a moneygrab. Fine for a watch once but don't think I'll watch again.