The news is good…
No, make that VERY GOOD for fans of 1994’s animated “THE LION KING”.
Not only has Disney expanded the telling of the Circle of Life from an hour and a half by about 30 minutes, the filmmakers have pretty well stayed true to the original story.
And that’s a good thing as they may have just extended a few scenes here and there.
But it’s still telling the story of the young lion prince named Simba fleeing his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of life as foreshadowed by his father Mufasa.
The big difference?
Under the masterful eyes of director Jon Favreau we are now treated to fabulous live C.G.I. action within new game-changing photorealistic naturality,
While that’s a mouthful, it simply translates into the film being a visual masterpiece for (just about) all ages.
An all-star voice cast includes the likes of Donald Glover as Simba and JD McCrary as young Simba, Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, Alfre Woodard, John Oliver, Beyonce, Amy Sedaris—and James Earl Jones again voicing Mufasa, king of the Pride Lands and father of Simba.
A great musical soundtrack is scored by Hans Zimmer who returns for the remake.
Note to parents!
Unlike the original “LION KING,” this new version is NOT rated G. It is rated PG! (Parental guidance suggested.)
To be specific the film’s PG rating is “for sequences of violence and peril, and some thematic elements.”
From a personal perspective the reason for the PG rating probably has to do with the almost live-like action—specifically the photorealistic animal fight scenes during the film’s final act.
For seven year olds and younger, it could be a hand-grabber—as in the kids hanging on to their father or mother.
Bottom line: I highly recommend ‘THE LION KING” to be enjoyed on a LARGE screen!
You’ll thank me for it.
It opens this weekend in 2D, 3D and in the various Premium Large Screen formats.
My grade—A perfect Hakuna Mutata: A
