JASON EVANS' 100 WORD REVIEWS: The Lion King (2019)

Courtesy of Disney

Thomas Jefferson once said, "The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do." In an effort to honor that idea, film critic Jason Evans is attempting to spread the word about the quality of movies by writing reviews that are exactly 100 words in length. This week, he tackles the remake of the Disney classic, The Lion King.

The Premise: Following the path of the 1994 traditionally animated film, this flick tells the story of Simba, a lion cub who is fated to follow in his father's footsteps as the king of Pride rock. Unlike the 1994 film, this version uses photorealistic computer animation to make everything seem like it is ripped straight out of nature, not drawn by an animator.

The 100 Words: While director Jon Favreau should be praised for creating a visual marvel - similar to his triumph with The Jungle Book - he essentially remakes the exact same film as the one the world has already seen. There are no surprises, no plot changes, and little to get excited about once the “wow” of the computer-generated images wear off. It isn’t a bad film, but it fails to capture the magic of the original and never really soars, except for the humor of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen). Why not let Jon Favreau take a chance on something new, Disney?