The Lion King is directed by Jon Favreau and stars Donald Glover, Beyonce Knowles-Carter and James Earl-Jones.
Based on the 1994 animated phenomenon, The Lion King tells the story of a young lion prince who flees his kingdom following the murder of his Father, only to learn the true meaning of responsibility, freedom and leadership.
The Lion King (1994) is, in my opinion, the greatest animated film I have ever seen, and unlike a lot of devout fans of the original, I have been really looking forward to a live action remake of this because there is a certain level of grandeur and sophistication that animation simply can't achieve, and the epic story of The Lion King is the perfect story to be elevated in that way... I also believe that this has been the thought process of the people behind this film and that the 2019 adaptation of The Lion King is not just a money-grab. However, saying that, the original still achieved a level of grandeur which no other animated film has quite managed to do (Mulan and Pocahontas have come very close) So, is this new version of The Lion King successful in what it tries to achieve?
Of course, if its trying to achieve box office dollars, it is most certainly successful. But if it is trying to elevate the material, trying to justify its existence beyond the revolutionary technology, it saddens me to say that this is a failure to some extent. With the addition of just one scene that didn't feature in the original and the trimming down of others, the 2019 remake of The Lion King feels like a missed opportunity.
One of the redeeming qualities of this film is the visual scope. Having seen this on the biggest screen in the country with Dolby Atmos and IMAX technology, it was an enthralling, immersive big-screen experience. The visual effects are truly outstanding and Jon Favreau and company seamlessly bring the world of Pride Rock and beyond to life. The final battle is also elevated in a visually exciting way. However, that is the only scenario where, beyond the hyper-realism of the visual effects itself, the '94 material is genuinely heightened, and there are so many sequences where they could've been that little bit more epic and that little bit more mature. Trimming down Be Prepared and leaving the Broadway classic He Lives In You out of this remake are two of the film's greatest missed opportunities, and the Can You Feel The Love Tonight? sequence being set in broad daylight is another huge question-mark... I was originally imagining something along the lines of the bioluminescent sacred tree scene from Avatar - not as magical, but something that makes the entire environment feel alive. It makes no sense to me to set this scene in daylight. It's still beautiful, but again, a missed opportunity.
The voice work is solid across the board, with Beyoncé and Donald Glover's sounding the most authentic when synchronised to their CGI counterparts. Eichner and Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa are endlessly entertaining, and Ejiofor does a fine job as Scar. It goes without saying that James Earl Jones' Mufasa is the standout here, not only doing the character justice but carrying the heart and warmth of the original to this new audience, which it desperately needed; the 2019 version of The Lion King could be seen as rather soulless. Even with the grandeur of the opening Circle Of Life number, which is very well done, there's no raw emotion felt from behind the screen, relying on the emotional power of the scenes they are trying to replicate and hoping that they will be just as impactful. And yes, even Mufasa's death scene lacks that power. I did still feel something because of Mufasa himself - and continued to get shivers anytime I heard his heavenly voice throughout the rest of the film - but unfortunately, the voice of Young Simba does not feel nearly innocent enough and therefore doesn't match the adorable way in which he is animated.
I have since imagined a film that, even if it didn't work, would've been a whole lot more respectable and would've justified its existence, and now I wish that they went in this direction from the get-go. With the absolutely stunning animation, the terrific score from Hans Zimmer, and the iconic musical cues from Elton John's soundtrack, this 'live action' The Lion King could/should have been a film with no dialogue. A silent film, relying on the power of the music and the visual scope, could've been something absolutely extraordinary, and respectable in its ambition to experiment. Again, a missed opportunity.
Jon Favreau's 2019 version of The Lion King is a mixed bag. Satisfactory voice work, jaw-dropping visuals and a rousing score which results in a very nostalgic experience, but with little soul.
Of course, if its trying to achieve box office dollars, it is most certainly successful. But if it is trying to elevate the material, trying to justify its existence beyond the revolutionary technology, it saddens me to say that this is a failure to some extent. With the addition of just one scene that didn't feature in the original and the trimming down of others, the 2019 remake of The Lion King feels like a missed opportunity.
One of the redeeming qualities of this film is the visual scope. Having seen this on the biggest screen in the country with Dolby Atmos and IMAX technology, it was an enthralling, immersive big-screen experience. The visual effects are truly outstanding and Jon Favreau and company seamlessly bring the world of Pride Rock and beyond to life. The final battle is also elevated in a visually exciting way. However, that is the only scenario where, beyond the hyper-realism of the visual effects itself, the '94 material is genuinely heightened, and there are so many sequences where they could've been that little bit more epic and that little bit more mature. Trimming down Be Prepared and leaving the Broadway classic He Lives In You out of this remake are two of the film's greatest missed opportunities, and the Can You Feel The Love Tonight? sequence being set in broad daylight is another huge question-mark... I was originally imagining something along the lines of the bioluminescent sacred tree scene from Avatar - not as magical, but something that makes the entire environment feel alive. It makes no sense to me to set this scene in daylight. It's still beautiful, but again, a missed opportunity.
The voice work is solid across the board, with Beyoncé and Donald Glover's sounding the most authentic when synchronised to their CGI counterparts. Eichner and Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa are endlessly entertaining, and Ejiofor does a fine job as Scar. It goes without saying that James Earl Jones' Mufasa is the standout here, not only doing the character justice but carrying the heart and warmth of the original to this new audience, which it desperately needed; the 2019 version of The Lion King could be seen as rather soulless. Even with the grandeur of the opening Circle Of Life number, which is very well done, there's no raw emotion felt from behind the screen, relying on the emotional power of the scenes they are trying to replicate and hoping that they will be just as impactful. And yes, even Mufasa's death scene lacks that power. I did still feel something because of Mufasa himself - and continued to get shivers anytime I heard his heavenly voice throughout the rest of the film - but unfortunately, the voice of Young Simba does not feel nearly innocent enough and therefore doesn't match the adorable way in which he is animated.
I have since imagined a film that, even if it didn't work, would've been a whole lot more respectable and would've justified its existence, and now I wish that they went in this direction from the get-go. With the absolutely stunning animation, the terrific score from Hans Zimmer, and the iconic musical cues from Elton John's soundtrack, this 'live action' The Lion King could/should have been a film with no dialogue. A silent film, relying on the power of the music and the visual scope, could've been something absolutely extraordinary, and respectable in its ambition to experiment. Again, a missed opportunity.
Jon Favreau's 2019 version of The Lion King is a mixed bag. Satisfactory voice work, jaw-dropping visuals and a rousing score which results in a very nostalgic experience, but with little soul.
B-
No comments:
Post a Comment