The Lion King (2019)

Sexton finds the remake a cutting-edge visual spectacle but less emotionally effective than the original. He praises the lively performances of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner, while faulting the photo-realistic animals’ inability to emote convincingly.

Loughrey praises the film as a technological marvel that uses nostalgia to experiment with a familiar story. She singles out the hyperrealistic visuals and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s comic performances as highlights.

Debruge finds the remake exhilarating and technically impressive, though ultimately safe and reliant on the original’s strengths. He singles out the convincing visual effects and the performances, especially the fresh dimension Donald Glover brings to Simba.

Turan finds the remake a polished, satisfying entertainment that largely preserves the original. He praises its gorgeous, lifelike visuals and the care taken to make the digitally created animals feel authentic.

The standfirst presents Favreau’s film as thrilling and loyal to the original. It singles out the photo-realistic style as a strength.

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The review finds the remake visually dazzling but emotionally hollow and less effective than the original. It praises the technical sophistication while criticising photorealism for making the characters less expressive.

Johnston finds the remake technically impressive but suggests it lacks some of the original’s dramatic force. He singles out the realistic-looking CGI as a triumph of computer programming.

Kermode finds the remake visually impressive but ultimately pointless. He praises its lifelike animals and beautifully rendered landscapes, while criticizing how photorealism limits the story’s imaginative appeal.

The review finds the remake loses some heart and feels defiantly unmagical. It singles out the photorealistic, high-tech sheen as a source of what feels off.

The critic finds the remake an astonishing spectacle but says its hyperreal visuals sometimes clash with the drama and songs. The painstakingly rendered visuals, especially the lighting and backgrounds, are singled out for praise.

Sragow regards the remake as lavish but too familiar to make the beloved tale feel fresh. He singles out its photorealistic spectacle as a reason to revisit the story, though not to experience it anew.

Ebiri finds the remake technically impressive but lacking a unifying vision. He praises Chiwetel Ejiofor’s powerful Scar and the film’s strongest theatrical moments, while criticizing the inexpressive animal characters.

Dowd finds the remake joyless and artistically diminished by its photorealistic approach. He singles out Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s banter as a rare fresh pleasure.

O’Hara finds the film visually impressive but emotionally less effective than the original, and ultimately not fully justified. She praises the lively performances of Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, which bring welcome humour and energy.

Hasted argues that the remake is a cynical, unnecessary retread that drains feeling from the original. He praises its CGI realism and sound design, while criticizing its failure to tell a new story.

Ehrlich calls the remake a creatively bankrupt failure that misunderstands the appeal of the original. He praises the opening “Circle of Life” sequence and the chemistry between Timon and Pumbaa, while criticizing the animation’s emotional flatness.

The critic finds the remake listless, arguing that its photorealism drains the story of the original’s emotional force. He praises Chiwetel Ejiofor’s menacing reimagining of Scar, while faulting the restrained animation for failing to express the characters’ emotions.

The critic finds the remake safe, predictable, and overlong, despite its impressive photorealistic imagery. He singles out the lifelike visuals and animal animation as the film’s chief achievement.

Lane finds the remake visually astonishing but emotionally unlovable, with its realism undermining the animated story’s charm. He singles out the animals’ unsettling, humanlike mouths as a flaw that makes the painstaking CGI feel implausible.

The critic argues that the remake is a tiresome retread that pales beside the original. They fault its realism for constraining the animals’ expressiveness and diminishing the musical sequences.

The review finds the remake visually spectacular but says it lacks some of the original’s magic. It praises Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen for stealing the show as Timon and Pumbaa.

Jordan finds the remake enjoyable but overly faithful to the original, leaving it short on energy and personality. He praises its groundbreaking photorealistic visuals, along with the comic performances of Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen.

Goldberg finds the remake artistically unnecessary, arguing that its photorealism and fidelity to the original undermine its emotional impact. He praises the technical achievement and the playful spontaneity of Timon and Pumbaa, but says the film’s frozen expressions and lack of originality outweigh those strengths.

Leitch finds the remake lifeless and overly literal despite its faithful recreation of the original story and songs. He praises the opening presentation of Simba as lyrical and beautifully rendered, but says the talking animals lose their vitality.

Navarro finds the remake visually impressive but emotionally hollow and too faithful to the original. She singles out Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s performances as the film’s comedic highlight.

The review finds the remake technically impressive but too faithful to offer much that is new. It singles out Timon and Pumbaa’s scenes as the funniest and freshest part of the film.

Harvilla finds the remake watchable but oddly bloodless, settling for “good enough” rather than offering much wonder. He praises Timon and Pumbaa’s comic relief, especially Billy Eichner’s performance, while finding the songs and photorealistic approach diminished.

The review finds the remake technically impressive but only half-successful, with its photorealism draining the story of life. It praises Timon and Pumbaa’s performances as a rare source of genuine liveliness.

The critic argues that the remake is hollow and adds little to the original, despite its visual realism. Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen’s performances as Timon and Pumbaa are singled out as the film’s only effective moments.

The critic finds the remake emotionally empty and disappointing. They praise the outstanding animation but argue that its lifelike CGI drains the story of feeling.

The review pans the remake as an arrogant, uninspired successor that mistakes photorealism for artistic improvement. It praises Billy Eichner’s lively performance as Timon as a rare bright spot.