One of the most highly-anticipated, long-awaited movies of the year has arrived, and certainly does not disappoint. The Lion King, the CGI remake of the 1994 animated classic, hit theaters this past weekend, and, as expected, has already broke box-office records. 

Raking in more than 500 million dollars its opening weekend, The Lion King has surpassed previous Disney remake records, with an all-star cast including Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Seth Rogan, and James Earl-Jones (reprising his role as the voice of Mufasa). 

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The visuals are stunning, truly displaying the warmth, color and power the movie is hoping to convey. Being a CGI remake, this has given the opportunity for realism, which exceedingly surpassed all expectations. From the animals to the background, the realism shown in this movie is a wonder to see and experience.

The plot is familiar to those who have seen the original, with scenes that mimic the animated classic, something many were expecting and hoping to see. Although the visuals and realistic CGI are a strong force in the film, the voice actors bring the characters to life with an impressive force. These key components make the movie whole, strong, powerful and an overall delight to experience. 

Throughout the movie, the plot is fluid, with the story solid and an amazing performance by the cast. There aren’t many plot holes or anything lacking in the overall story. 

Everything seems to tie together, making it easy to watch while truly enjoying it. Many of the movie’s scenes were destined to seem familiar to those movie-goers who have seen the original. In spite of this, the remake was able to include new scenes in addition to the story, making it seem like you weren’t just watching the 1994 story scene by scene. The directors of the movie were able to make it all connect, flow and throw in that bit of nostalgia the audience was hoping for.

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Another appeal to this movie was not the film itself, but the soundtrack. Featuring music from its cast, the film did not disappoint as far as its musical numbers and sequences. 

One memorable song featured in the film is the duet between vocal powerhouse Beyoncé and soulful singer Donald Glover, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” a remake of the song performed by Sir Elton John in the 1994 original. 

Although the film includes many favorite songs from the original, it also boasts new ones that add power to this remake. One being “Spirit” performed by Beyoncé, which contains elements of a boy’s destiny in becoming a man, which highlights Simba’s path to finding himself and fulfilling his destiny as king. 

SPOILER ALERT:

Fans of the original are aware of most of the spoilers bound to repeat in the film, one of the most prominent being when Simba’s father, Mufasa, is ultimately killed by his brother Scar. 

With the help of hyenas, Scar is able to come up with a plan to set up Mufasa and Simba. Scar leads Simba to a ravine and has the hyenas set off a stampede of animals his way. He then seeks his brother Mufasa to inform him of the danger Simba is in. 

By doing so, Mufasa hurries to help his son. Although Mufasa is successful in saving his son, he finds himself hanging off the cliff and hoping for Scar’s help. Scar does not assist Mufasa, and lets him fall to his death. This remains one of the most emotional parts of the story, which is the key element to Simba’s narrative. 

With the mixture of astounding visuals, life-like CGI, powerful moments and an amazing soundtrack, The Lion King 2019 is a true summer blockbuster. 

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