Can you feel the MEH

So, I was forced to watch the Lion King remake yesterday. I say forced because the offspring wanted to see it and I had to thus, sit through it. Given a choice I would have given this one a wide berth.

Having now seen the movie I rate it U for Unnecessary.

This one was completely and unabashedly a money grab for Disney. Lion King is already an amazing story. And unlike earlier remakes - like Jungle Book which I really enjoyed - this particular rehashing adds nothing new to the story. Why do we need a shot for shot remake of a movie that is already brilliant?  Where in the original we had the expressive, facially emotive cartoon characters we are now given photo realistic animals trying to talk and it just doesn't work. There's a moment in the movie where young Simba cries "Noooo" and it just ruins what should be the most poignant scene of the movie.

Technically speaking, the 2019 Lion King is a masterpiece. It's awe inspiring- from a visual and design point of view. Hands down some of the best computer generated imagery out there. Kudos to the team that worked on it in that aspect. But oh dear, it's so woefully inadequate in every other aspect.

One of these things is not like the other

"But what about the kids?" I hear you cry. "Surely it's nice for the kids to be able to have a new version to watch?". No, I reply. Let them watch the cartoon. That's the beauty of movies- it's not like theatre- as long as you have it on [insert medium of choice] you can keep watching them forever. And it's not like this story is one that would ever date. This new version bored me to death and the only refreshing thing was Timon and Pumba riffing new dialogue.

Before going in to watch this, the only thing I thought might be this movie's saving grace was John Favrau directing. Like I mentioned above I loved his version of the Jungle Book - which one would argue was more an actual 'live remake' in that the main character was a real live actor. Also it wasn't a take for take remake, and all the changes were for the better. In the 2019 Lion King the main change seems to be that the heart of the movie has been supplanted with a cash register.