After the murder of his father, a young lion prince flees his kingdom only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery.
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| The Lion King (2019). (C) Disney |
There are two factors that could work in the live-action adaptation's favor. First, any changes—whether minor or major—that can justify its existence are always welcome. Second, it should be a visual feast for the eyes, which clearly worked for films like Avatar.
Unfortunately, The Lion King (2019) delivered mixed results at best in these two aspects. Changes were made, but they barely had any impact. Aladdin (2019), another Disney adaptation, worked because it introduced impactful changes while remaining faithful to the original story. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with almost replicating the beloved animated tale, but the visuals didn’t make up for it. Make no mistake, the CGI work is great, but at times it looked lifeless, to the point where a nature documentary would have captured more interesting visuals. It didn’t help that all the characters are animals. While the voice acting is good, the limitations of conveying emotions became more apparent with the animal characters.
What works in the film’s favor are the iconic songs, which inject nostalgia and keep you engaged. Beyoncé and Donald Glover soar beyond the visuals, and 'Spirit' makes the adventure feel more epic.
Time flew fast as The Lion King (2019) remains a good time at the cinema, but limitations in storytelling and emotional expression hinder its true potential. 2.5/5 ⭐
Catch its highly-anticipated sequel Mufasa: The Lion King in Philippine cinemas December 18.
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