The Lion King Review: 3 Ups & 7 Downs
1. It's Worse Than The Original In EVERY Way
It has to be said that the new Lion King really doesn't do a single thing better than the original - not even visually, because the animated original committed to a far more appropriate style and nailed it, while here, the technical prowess constantly undermines the drama.
The performances, the direction, the emotion, the music - it's all inferior to what we got in 1994, making this an especially dubious remake that fails to justify its own existence.
At least Dumbo fashioned a semi-ambitious expansion of the original story complete with an anti-corporate animal rights message, while Aladdin gave Jasmine a more appropriate feminist update. 2019's The Lion King, meanwhile, does not a single thing in a better or more interesting way than its forebear.
So, not a good movie, then. But it's not a total disaster either, and here are its few bright spots worth considering...