The Lion King
*Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama*
I should start by saying, The Lion King is without question, my favorite Disney film. Before I met Princess Tiana and we became best friends before Mona told me how far I’d go before I knew the muses were the best part of Hercules before Ariel lost her voice, and long before I longed for princesses who looked like me, there was the Lion King. From the first sound of the movie, I felt seen. It’s odd, to feel seen, in a cartoon full of animals, most of which who weren’t even voiced by black actors. But I go it. I felt it. The family dynamic, the music, the vibe. It was and has remained my favorite. I have seen the stage play more times than I would like to admit and it still, to this day, holds a space in my heart as simply the best.
I have to admit. Knowing that Disney was going to take on the Lion King (LK) made me nervous. How do you remake a classic? How does one simply reinstate a feeling, a childhood memory so ingrained in my head it feels more like a moment than a movie. I have seen all the live actions leading up this moment outside of Dumbo (because girl, who has the time), and I was ready for this. I needed this. From the moment they released the first trailer on Thanksgiving Day last year, I have been preparing myself for this. And, all things considered, I was not disappointed.
First, to address the elephant in the room, nothing will replace the original. We get it Susan. For you “the original version is the only version that exists in your life and nothing will change that for you people”, this won’t be for you. You can go now. The thing about these Disney live-action remakes is that they don't erase the animated versions. If you like the classics then cool, they're not going anywhere. This isn’t Black Mirror, the original film doesn’t delete from history once a remake is made. I checked, and you can still watch the original LK if you please. You can still stan your red-haired Ariel, etc.. NOTHING can take that from us. I’m not going to watch LK as a grown 30 something to see the exact thing I saw in 1994. Open your mind to new things, because change happens every single day. You may be surprised by what you find.
Now, lets dive in.
First, and foremost, this is NOT a “live-action” film. So, enough with that noise Brenda. We get it. Its still very much animated, even if it feels a lot like riding through a real-life safari park. To me, the charm here is in the details. NO, you will not feel the vibes of a overly drawn, cartoon like character who gives you a range of emotions and character choices. But you WILL find am an extreme amount of nuance. It’s the little things. The way Scar walks with his head low, and Mufasa is always raised with the angels lifting him up. It’s the way Simba draws his ears back when he knows he’s fcked up. It’s the way Simba greets his mother, but how it FEELS different from the way he rubs up on Nala. It’s the visual representation of Timon and Pumba being an absolutely ridiculous duo when you see their sheer size and build difference. It’s the way each of the lioness LOOK different. It's Rafiki looking like the realest, wisest, and realistic monkey. It’s the animals in the Pridelands, and the way each of them move so spot on its uncanny. SO, do you lose some emotion in the face? Yes? Do you lose a bit of the cartoonish qualities in the reactions and movements? Yes. But, you know the story. We all KNOW the story, so that wasn’t lost from me in those moments. Looking a baby Simba, in the opening scene, drew me right in. Mufasa and Simba tussling got me. I felt it, even if it LOOKED different. I would encourage you to watch some behind the scenes footage of the actors to gain a better understanding on how the went about creating the film. It will help to open eyes on the work that was put into it and the actual acting that still has to be done, even if your character is made on a computer.
Beyoncé does her thing. It goes without saying, so let’s get it over with, Beyoncé is not our generations Viola Davis. She will not give you spot on snot induced tears at the drop of a hat. But again, I don’t expect the star of Carmen the Hip Hoprea to give me that. I mean, Obsessed? Pink Panther? gkdgdg Her moments worked htough. She practiced, read her lines, and did what I needed her to do. To me, its some of HER best acting and that is a lot for her. Her moments made sense. Her voice, though a bit too deep for my vision of that role, worked. She did what she had to do, and we stan. Truthfully, you know why she is there, whether you like her or not. After watching it, I wouldn’t change a thing because, with Beyoncé, you gain so so much more that a few lines in the film, and that is truly what we have to be thankful for on this here day. *cough cough* The Gift is out NOW girls.
That being said, I would like to take a moment to properly thank Sir James Earl Jones for staying alive and well. When I tell you, that out of every single role, his was the one I needed the most. JEJ voice is still thick as buttermilk and Smoother than velvet. Each of his scenes literally felt like a hug. It felt like hugging my childhood and the memories that came with whatever I was doing in 1994. I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for that role. A dedicated father figure, who is not only strong but gentle, attentive but also a parent giving their child the space to explore. He relationship between Mufusa and Simba is beautiful and is only made more beautiful in this version. This man is 88 years old. EIGHTY-EIGHT?? We stan.
I believe the supporting cast was perfect. In no particular order:
John Oliver as Zazu- if you watch his show, you know he wasn’t acting, as his voice literally bounces back from aggressively British to sarcastically British in the best of ways. I could literally see him flipping out and I loved it.
Chiwetel Ejiofor took on another side of Scar. More cool, calm and collected, and bitter. But less boastful, high brow and sarcastic. The thing is, he and Mufasa are brothers. You felt the jealousy in his every word, even if it wasn’t as over the top as the original. He could have given me a bit more sass, but I got the choices and it worked.
Sarabi has always been my favorite character. Alfre Woodard has that typical black mother voice that you’ve heard at least once in your life. I stan a woman who loves her man down.
Keegan-Michael Key and Eric Andre were funny as hell TO ME. The running bit through the film was like a perfect. I am a fan of them both and only could picture their faces anytime they spoke. Lol like I literally just laughed thinking about it.
John Kani as Rafiki was exactly what you want from Rafiki. Everyone knows that one person, the old crazy but wise man that sits outside of the gas station. Knows everyone’s business, always has something to say, knows all the tea, but also looks a little homeless. You never quite know much about them, but you know they are wise af. Literally Rafiki. Shout out to our Black Panther’s father for the come through on this one.
If I had to think of Simba as an adult voice, that felt current, relaxed, mature, cool, kinda confused about life but also young, and relevant: Donald Glover. He doesn’t say much, but I have always loved him and thought he did great. I couldn’t picture anyone else off the top of my head. His version of Simba feels like the guy you knew in college, kind of a mess, not super goal-oriented but as soon as he gets his shit together, the boy will he be a keeper. Love that.
Young Simba is a dream. The talent that BOTH young Nala and Simba have. THE RANGE. THEIR VOICES. Wow, just wow. JD McCray has a future brighter than my teeth and I know that he will go far. He got me from the moment he opened his mouth, his voice slayed my life. He’s 12 dude. WTF. Those two kids are going places.
With all that being said, Timon and Pumba are undoubtedly thee stars of the film. I mean, they are visually so ridiculous looking as friends, and their timing together is spot on. I won’t give the jokes away, but they are hilarious dude. Thee entire time. “I can’t… I can’t… I can’t….”
The feeling is simply still there for me, 25 years later. There are moments lost from the original film of course. But there are also deeper dives into other moments that made up for it. I would have loved for them to explore Nala and Simba meeting back up more, but I also understand that dynamic of a friendship that also is so much more than that. Some things aren’t needed to be said, because you can FEEL them. Speaking of feelings. Watching Mufasa die is, as you can imagine, as awful as it was in the animated film. So, buckle down your wig for that ride because it is rough. I mean, I heard grown adults crying, like the deep, hyperventilating tears, that start in the pit of your stomach and travel up ya nose. The scene is almost frame for frame the same as the original and it hits even deeper this time around.
All in all, I enjoyed it. There were moments I missed. But new moments I really loved. I think, if you go in with an open mind, you will find that this version does not replace the original, but it adds a layer to your memory bank of something that is still so special to so many of us. I will defiantly want to see it again, in IMAX or DOLBY to truly take in how visually stunning it is and hear it through even better sound quality. So yourself a favor, and go see this film. We deserve to relive this classic in this way. The child in us deserves it, the children in your lives deserve it and well the universe deserves it. Open yourself up to this version and you will not be disappointed. Listen to the music, watch for the choices, appreciate the time and energy put into the realistic dynamic, and just enjoy it.
If the original Lion King is like a deep long hug, this is a strong two-handed Oprah high five (the kind where she grabs your hands and shakes them a while, transferring her energy to you). Effective. Heartwarming. Genuine. Honest. Familiar. But new. Truth is, we’ve grown up guys, and our childhood cartons have too.
To my favorite film and favorite Broadway show, thank you for this 25-year journey. The Lion King continues to touch my life in ways that can’t even really be explained. Thank you for this newest chapter in our story.
Who wants to see it again?
"Any story worth telling is worth telling twice." -Rafiki
