Films at the moment seem to be packed full of stunning & beautiful CGI effects, but not much else. The Lion King live action is certainly no different. The Disney original from 1994 has charm, class, excitement, humor & most importantly soul. It is an undoubted masterpiece. This version has little or non of these qualities. Yes the animation & CGI are absolutely gorgeous, but I was expecting to see David Attenborough pop up at any second to narrate the scene. It felt like a nicely done wildlife documentary without the bits where animals eat each other. Also dispite a wonderfull cast & the awesome velvety tones of the fabulous James Earl Jones, the voice acting seemed very off somehow, & almost miscast. The only bit I really enjoyed was the "Wimoweh" song (originally written by Zulu artist Solomon Linda as "Mbube" meaning Lion) which was nicely done.

Overall this is not a bad film, & I feel children will love it. I feel it just falls into the trap of not being as good as the original. Remakes are rarely, if ever as good as the original, & the Lion King is no exception. Yet I have to ask, is there no original talent at Disney Corps anymore? Why all the remakes? Can no one come up with something new?

Finally, when I first saw The Lion King in 1994 (I was a 25 year old woman) I freely admit I was drawn to tears in the opening scenes. I had shivvers down my back & was completely enthralled. Some years later I saw the awesome stage show, not just once but several times, so I consider myself a fan of the story, but this latest offering, for me falls flat, as flat as a flat packed new bookcase. I heard the Lion's roar in 1994...This movie is sadly just a cubs whimper!