Early Reactions Sing The Praises Of Disney’s Live-Action 'The Lion King'

Disney and director Jon Favreau’s new remake of “The Lion King” had its big premiere on Tuesday night, and the very first reactions to the “live-action” redo of Simba's iconic journey have begun to make their way online.

While many have begun to tire of Disney’s live-action remakes after a string mediocre releases, early takes appear to indicate that Favreau and his team have brought the same magic to “The Lion King” that they did with the 2016 remake of “The Jungle Book.”

Holy smokes, I really loved THE LION KING. I think (I think) it’s the most beautiful effects movie I’ve seen. Like next level, the game has changed kind of thing. (For the record I’m agnostic on the original movie and have zero nostalgia for it. Anyway, this movie hooked me.)
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) July 10, 2019

Absolutely blown away by #TheLionKing. Incredible visuals and voice work. Cried all my makeup off. Timon and Pumba brought me back from the edge. Would die for baby Simba. pic.twitter.com/YBpncCVowz
— Rachel Heine (@RachelHeine) July 10, 2019

#TheLionKing is absolutely breathtaking! Every frame of that movie is something to behold. One of the best films of the year. pic.twitter.com/eWm0xDgcGg
— Umberto Gonzalez (@elmayimbe) July 10, 2019

#TheLionKing has always been my favorite Disney animated movie and this new rendition is a beautiful reminder why. Happy to welcome back familiar chills, emotions and tears. In awe of the visual wizards behind this one. Timon & Pumbaa are everything. pic.twitter.com/IcWHgjHCuF
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) July 10, 2019

#TheLionKing is a landmark *visual* experience. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I think it’s going to change how we look at movies forever.

As an *emotional* experience, though…I’ll put it this way: It turns out lions can’t really emote.
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) July 10, 2019

#TheLionKing is visually immaculate & a game-changer for visual effects. It’s absolutely stunning in every way. The music shines (Glover & Beyoncé take it to another level), the performances are great (Timon, Pumbaa & Scar steal many scenes) & the emotions run HIGH. Truly great pic.twitter.com/lPH9Oo4ybb
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 10, 2019

Particular praise has been reserved for the cutting-edge photo-realistic visual effects employed to bring Pride Rock to life. While not technically “live-action,” early viewers report that the meticulous work on “The Lion King” might be the next best thing.

While no unexpected changes have been made, those who enjoyed the new film felt that it did the original, animated story justice. The performances of the ensemble cast have also received positive reactions, with many noting that Timon and Pumbaa (Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, respectively) once again steal the show. The cast for this new film also includes Donald Glover, Beyoncé, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Not everyone is entirely on board, however.

So, #TheLionKing has stunning visual effects/animation, but it's in service of a pointless retread that seems to exist mostly to show you how they got it right the first time. It's as over-written as ALADDIN but without the charismatic humans to entertain you. Lions can't act. pic.twitter.com/j607ciXEB9
— Scott Mendelson (@ScottMendelson) July 10, 2019

Some have taken issue with the lack of originality in the new film, calling it another “retread” like many of Disney’s other remakes. For all their commercial success, remakes like “The Jungle Book,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Aladdin” have been heavily criticized for adding little to the original animated classics beyond the expensive new coats of paint.

Nevertheless, “The Lion King” has already been tracking for a huge opening weekend. No doubt this first wave of positive reactions will help build even more hype.

Disney will release “The Lion King” in theaters on July 19.