'The Lion King' (2019) is an official frame-to-frame remake of the classic animated version of 'The Lion King' which was released in 1994. The original classic version remains etched in the heart of the viewers (We chose to view the movie in Hindi because of the stars involved behind the Hindi voice-over). Disney India took a good decision to introduce Shah Rukh Khan as 'Mufasa' and his son Aryan Khan as 'Simba'. These two voices made a deep impact on the Indian audience, and undoubtedly, doubled the craze for this movie.
At the beginning of the movie, we can witness that Rafiki (a wise mandrill) holds 'Simba' in his hands to announce 'Simba' as the prince of the kingdom. The elder brother of Mufasa, Scar (voiced by Ashish Vidyarthi), is not happy with it and he plans to kill both 'Mufasa' and 'Simba' to become the king of the whole kingdom. Scar knows that it is almost impossible for him to kill both of them on his own. So, he takes the help of the hyenas to execute the plan perfectly. Is Scar successful in his endeavours? Does he manage to kill Mufasa and Simba? Does he manage to become the new king of Gaurav Bhumi? The answers to these questions form the crux of the movie.
Jon Favreau's 'The Lion King' is visually stunning and should be watched either in 3D or IMAX. The cinematography is excellent and will keep you intrigued throughout the whole journey.
Disney India's strategy to introduce Shah Rukh Khan as 'Mufasa' clicked quite well. There are a lot of similarities between the voice of Aryan Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. This resemblance has worked well for the movie in several scenes. The child artist who did the voiceover for young 'Simba' should also be applauded. Ashish Vidyarthi did a commendable job as 'Scar', the elder brother of 'Mufasa'. However, the visualization of 'Scar' could have been better. Going by the looks, Scar' was nowhere near the graceful 'Mufasa'.
'Timon’ (voiced by Shreyas Talpade) and 'Pumba' (voiced by Sanjay Mishra) is certainly the heart of this film. Their conversation brings in the much-needed humour in this film. Shreyas Talpade and Sanjay Mishra's comic timing is superb. The audience will certainly enjoy the chemistry between 'Timon' and 'Pumba' throughout the whole movie.
In spite of the several positive points, Jon Favreau's 'The Lion King'(2019) fails to recreate the same magic created by the original animated Lion King movie. The viewers, who have already seen it before, may feel that this movie lacks the soul of the original film. Few dialogues seem exaggerated and fail to reflect the emotions depicted in the original movie. Even the songs of the movie are average.
WMR verdict:
Despite its flaws, The Lion King still manages to induce nostalgia in parts. It is a must-watch film for the kids with family. The presentation will certainly be entertaining for the people who haven’t seen the original animated version of this movie. The best way to enjoy the movie is to cherish the nostalgia in 3D or IMAX for the visual treat.
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