The Lion King

critic Reviews

, 52% Rotten Tomatometer Score
  • 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.
  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Ted PiekarzChicago Reader
    Watch this Lion King for the technical achievement and musical numbers, and then watch the original to feel satisfied.
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  • , Fresh Tomatometer Score
    Randy MyersSan Jose Mercury News
    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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  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Hannah GiorgisThe Atlantic
    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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  • , Fresh Tomatometer Score
    Wenlei MaNews.com.au
    Though by no means a bad movie, The Lion King would've been better off trying to be more of its own movie, do something different in terms of story and character, and aim as high narratively as it achieved with its extraordinary visuals.
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  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Sam AdamsSlate
    Even if you somehow made it into the new Lion King without knowing its origins, you might start to wonder if there was another version of it that made more sense...
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  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Roxana HadadiChesapeake Family Magazine
    The Lion King feels less like watching a cohesive film and more like listening to a separate audio track narrating what is happening onscreen. The two halves don't mesh.
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  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Denise PieniazekPuesta en Escena (AR)
    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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  • , Fresh Tomatometer Score
    Manuel São BentoMSB Reviews
    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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  • , Rotten Tomatometer Score
    Cory WoodroofFor the Win (USA Today)
    The Lion King 2019 is Disney at its worst, a soulless carbon copy of a vastly superior film that exists only to pander to nostalgia and reap financial benefit.
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  • , Fresh Tomatometer Score
    Kristen BatesBut Why Tho? A Geek Community
    The Lion King is a beautiful film with stunning effects. The cinematography has visuals that make you feel like you are in Mufasa’s kingdom experiencing the adventures of Simba right alongside him.
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