THE LION KING 3D – The Review

Animation has come a long way since THE LION KING seemed so state-of-the-art. THE LION KING was the second-highest grossing film of 1994, and at the time the record-holder for most successful animated feature ever released (before Pixar). Everything about Disney’s 32nd animated feature seemed embellished with epic, visual weight. I’ll take it for granted that most people know the story of Simba and his journey to become ruler of The Pride Lands. Eschewing fairy tales, Disney’s usual bread and butter for cartoon musicals, THE LION KING was based on an original script by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The plot, derived from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, classical mythology, and African folk tales, was heavier , darker, and more adult than most Disney stories. Then there were those eye-popping cinematic pans across the African plains and the computer-enhanced sequence featuring the stampeding wildebeest which was nothing short of breathtaking. And of course there was Scar, as richly voiced by Jeremy Irons. The wicked lion was one of the best Disney villains ever, certainly the best of the ’90s. Tim Rice and Elton John’s songs (and the score by Hans Zimmer) comprised Disney’s all-time bestselling soundtrack CD spawning the hit songs “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “The Circle of Life”, and a hit Broadway musical in 1997 that’s still running.

Animation technology has certainly dated THE LION KING visually, but the script, the spectacular action set pieces, and a beautifully rendered sense of place have withstood the test of time. Now Disney has decided not to leave well enough alone. THE LION KING opens in theaters again today, this time retrofitted in 3D. It’s not the first time the studio has tinkered with this property. The 2003 DVD release added a new song and corresponding animation but the original version was included with the new disc for the purists. Unfortunately the purists who don’t care for 3D (and there are a lot out there) don’t have a choice today. If they want to see the new revamped THE LION KING, 3D is the only option. So, how is the 3D? Is it enough to warrant paying to see these movies again on the big screen? The animation, while superb, doesn’t have the intricate shading of modern computer animated films. Instead the action exists on different visual layers and it’s those planes that had to be painstakingly converted to employ the gimmick since animators almost twenty years ago had no idea this was feasible (3D existed then but was considered a dead gimmick). In a usual 2D animation you might see Scar for example, with mountains behind him and some fire. Though drawn on layers, they were composited for the final film and for 3D to work there needs to be different layers. The computer artisans at Disney took each piece of the action and composited them to look three dimensional. Some of the scenes had over 100 layers so this new version required a lot of labor and expense. It works in the sense that there is a great deal of depth now, but it doesn’t add all that much and I’m not sure if it’s really worth the extra three bucks. Having said that, simply the opportunity to see THE LION KING in theaters is cause for celebration especially if you were too young the first time or have kids of your own.

The Lion King 3D Trailer