The Lion King

An epic re-imagining of Disney’s 1994 classic animation following the coming of age story of loveable lion cub Simba learning to accept his royal responsibilities, finding his identity when cast out of his home and having fun with the friends he makes along the way. This well-made, entertaining piece from Jon Favreau, the same director as The Jungle Book, is a new milestone in special effects history and looks almost like a nature documentary in not only its realism but its camera work.

Your favourite characters are rendered, thanks to cutting-edge technology, into hyper-realistic animation, bringing life into their almost tangible fur. The stunning animation of the film beautifully sketches the African landscape, with the elephant graveyard looking particularly impressive, as well as creating awe-inspiring scenes of creatures from the plains in the opening number ‘Circle of Life’.

However, this painstaking shot for shot recreation does include some fresh new elements, bringing new songs, richer back-stories and more prominence for Nala. The film is also updated to feature a slightly re-organized grand score created by Hans Zimmer in collaboration with South African composer Lebo M, as well as including more African and African-descended voice artists than the 1994 version.

If you loved the original Lion King, it’s a nostalgic treat to see it lavishly redecorated in a feat of splendid animation.

Alice Saunders