The Lion King

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The Lion King

PG

2019

1h 58m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

435 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Verified Ratings

Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar, Mufasa's brother -- and former heir to the throne -- has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

Critics Consensus

While it can take pride in its visual achievements,The Lion King is a by-the-numbers retelling that lacks the energy and heart that made the original so beloved--though for some fans that may just be enough.

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Audience Says

A Disney live-action remake that successfully updates the original, The Lion King adds gorgeous new visual effects to a story the audience knows by heart.

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Ted Piekarz

Chicago Reader

02/21/2020

Watch this Lion King for the technical achievement and musical numbers, and then watch the original to feel satisfied.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

12/10/2019

3.5/4

Overseeing such a massive technical production as this one requires a filmmaker to be on top of every nuance and detail in play. Actor/director Favreau is the right person for the job.

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Hannah Giorgis

The Atlantic

09/10/2019

The Lion King captures just enough of the original's warmhearted excitement -- and introduces enough new delights -- to feel like more than a cynical Disney money grab.

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John Daniel Tangalin

The Cinema Spot

Jul 19

8.1/10

Overall, The Lion King does a splendid job at exhibiting what most of the world loved about the original, but it’s difficult to tackle every element that the animated 1994 film succeeded at.

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Denise Pieniazek

Puesta en Escena (AR)

01/27/2024

4/10

Regarding this version, it does not contribute anything significant or new. Once again we find ourselves under the problem of current cinema, its lack of originality. In addition, the film has several technical and aesthetic problems.

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

07/24/2023

A

It doesn’t matter if the story is identical if we cry all the same. It doesn’t matter if we know what’s coming if we still feel nervous and worried about the characters. The Lion King is one of Disney’s best remakes so far, on par with The Jungle Book.

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Nick C.

@Yeet777 2d

Lazy,uninspired and boring. No effort was put in this movie. It really makes you remember how unbelievably good the original is and always will be.

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Chris P

@Xiao_Proxies 6d

The Lion King live action remake is a faithful reimagining of Disney's animated masterpiece. On a technical level, it is breathtaking : the photorealistic animals, environments, and landscapes are a true showcase of modern CGI. The story remains the same beloved tale of Simba's journey, and for newcomers, it delivers the powerful themes of family, responsibility, and destiny. Yet, in trying to recreate the film so faithfully, much of the original's soul is lost. The vibrant colors and expressive animation that made the 1994 version so magical are replaced with a colder, more realistic aesthetic. Musical numbers feel less impactful, with Scar's iconic song notably diminished. While the film captures the story beat for beat, it rarely captures the same emotional resonance.

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Rowan M.

@MagmaRPM Apr 7

No need to ever rewatch this slop… I’m gonna stick with the original

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Shoaib A

@RT97079073 Mar 30

Definitely good movie Visual effect and storytelling music just amazing.♥️

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Emma F

@RT25978289 Mar 28

My kids are going through a strong Lion King phase currently and as such, we've watched both the 1994 film, and this one, many times. So far, the only positive I can see in this film compared to the original is the performance of Donald Glover - he sensationally rips through an otherwise pretty bland retelling with his incredible vocals and soul. The rest of the cast is disappointing at best - Beyonce's vocals, I feel, are trying to be overly complex and impressive but in doing that, it takes away the beauty of Can You Feel The Love Tonight, and makes the harmonies with Glover feel pretty weak. With Pumbaa and Timon, I appreciate how Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen have tried to make their performance 'different' and not just a carbon copy of the original, but it feels a lot more forced and less naturally charismatic and engaging than the original - which could be a way to describe the whole film tbh. Yes, the graphics are impressive, but I'd take the heart of the original any day.

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vince paolo V

@Vince-Paolo Mar 19

I like it but the cgi feel a bit not good

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Jon Favreau

Director

Donald Glover

Simba

Seth Rogen

Pumbaa

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Scar

Alfre Woodard

Sarabi

Billy Eichner

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Synopsis

Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny on the plains of Africa. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar, Mufasa's brother -- and former heir to the throne -- has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is soon ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. Now, with help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba must figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.

Director: Jon Favreau
Producer: Jon Favreau, Jeffrey Silver, Karen Gilchrist
Screenwriter: Jeff Nathanson
Distributor: Walt Disney
Production Co: Fairview Entertainment
Rating: PG (Sequences of Violence|Peril|Some Thematic Elements)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 19, 2019, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 27, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $543.6M
Runtime: 1h 58m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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