Customer Reviews

The Lion King 11/2 [VHS]

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

We're all aware that not much can compare to the original Lion King film. The animation, songs, voices...everything just perfection. However, as an ardent fan of the film, and in particular Timon and Pumbaa, this was snapped up as soon it went on sale - and boy, what a nice surprise! A direct to video release that's actually decent!

This film is much of an improvement on the first "sequel". Simba's Pride just didn't hold any of the magic of the original story - and barely held my attention for one showing before being put onto the shelf to get dusty. I was immediately more interested in this film as I thought it's premise held much more entertainment quality. "Yeah, I'd like to see how everything was through Timon and Pumbaa's eyes" I thought, and I wasn't to be disappointed.

We're originally transported back to Timon's younger days to see why he came to team up with Pumbaa. It's dealt with very wittily, yet with enough warmth that you actually do care what happens to all involved. We're shown how Timon and Pumbaa meet, and how they embark on their quest for "Hakuna Matata". Much comedy ensues, with a revealing insight into the original film's events. Why do the animals bow at Simba's presentation at Pride Rock? Why does everyone fall over at the end of "I Just Can't Wait To Be King?" Watch to find out. Having eventually found their perfect home, their meeting with Simba is retold and we get to see some of Simba's teenage years - missed out in the original film. (Timon has a wonderful line during a particularly restless night looking after a young Simba - "we're gonna get old walking across this thing". As soon as you hear it you'll know exactly what it's getting at). Next to be dealt with is Simba's reunion with Nala and his trip home to Pride Rock to avenge his father's death. All seen in a new perspective it's all very watchable, even if you are seeing duplicated scenes that occurred in the original movie. The climax again adds more breadth to the original. With Scar and his minions vanquished and order restored in the Pridelands, Timon and Pumbaa settle into their new home with his original meerkat colony who are surprised and impressed with the new "all-action" Timon. This is very much Timon's film, we get to know a lot more about him than Pumbaa and it is Timon that saves the day right at the very end. That's no complaint I would add, after all we heard about some of Pumbaa's woes in the original film 10 years ago.

Disney have done a lot of things right with this film. The original cast (with the exception of Rowan Atkinson as Zazu which consistantly grates with me - he's much missed on the interactive section of the original movie's special edition too) return, and Julie Kavner and Jerry Stiller lend their vocies as Timon's nearest and dearest. Two new, annoyingly catchy songs appear within the first 15 minutes and several songs from the original make welcome returns. This isn't a big long song-fest though, I'm pleased to say. Much as I like the songs Disney movies are famed for, it is nice to give the characters time to speak and flesh themselves out in-between. Lots of scenes from the original appear again, and are interworked with the new animation reasonably well. An interesting twist is that the film is presented as if being viewed by Timon and Pumbaa in a cinema. I have seen a few reviews saying how annoying this is, but I actually find it very funny. The fact that they take shots at scenes which otherwise would be excessively cheesy is very endearing, and of course completely in character.

There are, inevitably bad points. This isn't going straight to video for nothing after all. You certainly need to have watched the original movie and know it well - and you also have to be willing to deconstruct it quite violently too. A lot of those scenes you held dear are made fun of mercilessly. They've generally interworked the timelines between the films very well, but there are a few moments when I thought "that doesn't go". The film is quite short - 72 minutes with lengthy end credits, but it is so fast passed that it seems even shorter to me. It doesn't quite know what age range it is heading for either, there are lots of "kiddie jokes", but also quite witty points that younger children won't necessarily get (I always used to wonder why my Mum insisted on watching Dangermouse with me, it's only now at 24 that I watch it and realise now). Lots of film references too. This isn't too bad in a way, it keeps everyone occupied throughout for different reasons. I'd rent it first if your not sure, but if your a Lion King fan you'll probably end up buying it anyway (you perhaps already have!)

The DVD features I actually find quite disappointing. This is a 2 disc release, and if they'd not put over 10 minutes worth of trailers on the first disc, probably could have been condensed onto one. There are several games for the youngsters including a virtual Safari, Rafiki's Challenge and a "hidden Mickey" hunt throughout the film. There's a supposedly funny "mockumentary" about Timon which I watched in total silence and a 1 minutes "making of..." featurette which I had to turn off half way through out of sheer irritation (not very much info about the film at all - but everyone involved is all certain how great it is). There are some storyboarded deleted scenes, with commentary from the directors as to why they were cut.

Overall, very enjoyable which surprised me greatly and made it even more fun. Don't start comparing to the original as that is pointless. I also don't think this sort of production should be carried on to other Disney films, I don't think it would work. However, the way these particular characters cry out for attention every time they're on screen, it seems fitting to let us find out more about them.

I would have rated this 5 stars but for the DVD "extra's" as the film I cannot fault, both for the entertainment value and the way it tells an unexpectedly heartwarming story without being too cringeworthy

We got to see a sneak showing of this Disney treat, and laughed until we cried! This clever retelling of the epic Disney story has more jokes and humor than any I've seen in a long time. And there are plenty of laughs for adults as well as children. If you call yourself a Disney fan, then this is a MUST OWN! From beginning to end: inventive and ingenious. (Note: Movie fans may find that just as the Lion King mirrored the story of Hamlet, this version may remind you of an indie film that told the same "Hamlet" story through the eyes of two minor characters -who's paralle storyline zig-zagged across the same chain of events. Only with nowhere near the same humorous results!) Hint: Place the remote where all can see it - or you'll think someone is playing with it!

The untold story of everyone's favorite Meerkat "Timon" ( voiced by Nathan Lane) during the events of Simba's birth on how Timon with Pumbaa ( Ernie Sabella) and Simba met, how Timon was a outcast and getting to know Timon's mom ( Julie Kavner who played Marge Simpson) and Uncle Max ( Jerry Stiller).

A suprisingly good and hilarious prequel/sequel mix to " Lion King" and " Simba's Pride" that is a rare treat in the world of direct-to-video Disney animated sequels with a creative and original storyline with ideas. There is a MST3K-style opening with Timon and Pumbaa watching the original movie's beginning then tells us the story behind the original Lion King, the original cast is back such as Matthew Broderick, Robert Guiume, Whoopie Goldberg, and Cheech Marin return to reprise their roles with great theatrical quality animation.

The 2-Disc DVD is quite good on the flawless picture & Sound quality, the extras are quite good like the deleted scenes, fun games, Grazing in the Grass music video by Raven, Timon and Puma's virtual Safari 1/2, featurette on how the film was made and a Mockumentary on Timon done by Biography's Peter Graves.

If you want a hilarious and creative animated film that proves that not all direct-to-video animated stink these days, then i highly recommend this movie even to understand some of the original Lion King's plot holes.

This is the worst sequel I have ever seen in my entire life! All this movie is is a back story to "The Lion King" intersecting into it and basically making horrible cracked jokes at scenes from the original film (eg. The opening sequence of "The Lion King" where Simba is held up by Rafiki they make the reason for the animals bowing because Pumbaa farting. During "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" they blame Timon and Pumbaa for the animals falling over, etc.) It's an unnecessary and stupid sequel and a horrible thing to do to "The Lion King". What in the world was Disney thinking when they made this?

I don't trust straight-to-video sequels for cartoons. In most cases, straight-to-video sequels are terrible, no matter how good (or bad) the original was. The list of Disney sequels I've had to suffer through for my kids is long -- "Little Mermaid 2," "Pocahontas 2," "Lady and the Tramp 2," "Hunchback of Notre Dame 2" (ugh!), and yes, even "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride" -- these and many more are examples of why the straight-to-video sequel should be avoided as much as possible.

Usually.

"The Lion King 1 1/2" is the exception to the rule. It's a sequel with much of the heart of its predecessor, and a good helping of originality as well. It manages to make lighthearted fun of the original "Lion King" while remaining true to the spirit of it, something I wasn't sure could be done. It's not a parody, exactly, but it does manage to take some of the very serious, dramatic scenes from the original and put a funny spin on them. For example, want to know why all the animals started bowing to baby Simba on Pride Rock at the beginning of Lion King? You get to find out here... when I saw this part, I was rolling on the floor.

I was a little worried at the beginning of "Lion King 1 1/2," when there were a couple of original songs which seemed like cheap knockoffs, and the story had a hard time finding its legs. However, once we got through this part (basically, once Timon leaves his meerkat home), the movie really starts to pick up. The "good part" of the movie really starts about one-third of the way in, and once it starts it doesn't stop until the end.

The animation is better than most of the Disney straight-to-video sequels, though not quite on a par with the theatrical-release movies. Still, the animation quality is better than expected, and it was a nice touch to have all of the voice talent from the original "Lion King" reprising their roles for this film.

Sure, there's a couple fart jokes and other examples of fairly juvenile humor. But, what do you expect, it's a movie intended for kids. My daughters all loved it, and frankly, many of these jokes were done so well that they had me laughing too.

To put it bluntly, I'd have to say that "Lion King 1 1/2" is the flat-out funniest movie Disney's put out since "The Emperor's New Groove," which is one of my favorites in the recent Disney catalog. I expected the movie to try for lots of humor, but what I didn't expect were many of the clever and funny twists on the story of "The Lion King."

What came through loud and clear was that the makers of this film clearly loved the original "Lion King" as much as I did, and showed it by making a new movie which pokes well-intentioned fun at the original, even as it pays a faithful homage to it. In my opinion, nicely done and well worth owning.

Color me very pleasantly surprised.

My boys (3.5yo and 21mos) love this movie. My 3.5yo has loved it for more than a year. He has also seen the original Lion King and was not interested in it in the least. I think this one is just a lot more fun and more approachable for the younger children. They love Timon and Pumba, and even I enjoy the interaction between these best friends. I also find it more appropriate for younger children since it is less serious and there aren't so many sad scenes. And this was a great movie to watch before our trip to WDW - made them love the Lion King show!

My favorite scene is when they are doing karaoke for hakuna matata and Pumba tries to eat the beetle that is the pointer for the song lyrics.

Overall, the movie is ok. It captures the spirit of The Lion King fairly well. It's songs are rather cheesy. But one small scene is very memorable. Timon and Pumba are watching Simba walk off with Nala. Timon looks longingly after Simba and starts singing "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof. It was hilarious! That little scene pulls the movie from a three to a four in my oppinoin. It was really great

Well at least there were lots of funny noises at meal time here too.

This film takes you back before the beginning of The Lion King, and neatly fills in all the gaps that you never realised existed.

Timon is the "Flik" (A Bug's Life) of his community, clumsy and discontent with his lot in life, and sets off to find his dream home, where he can fit in. He meets up with Pumba, and the friendship begins.

The animation is great, the original cast give an excellent performance, the jokes and puns are non-stop, and there are new songs that are very catchy.

There's a funny karaoke sing a-long where you need to keep an eye on the insect that's setting the timing, and somehow excerpts from "Fiddler on the Roof", "The Good The Bad and the Ugly" and other themes fit right in.

Brace yourself for the finale, that involves synchronised swimming, para gliding, and a huge cast of characters.

The only black mark on this movie is it's length, at only 77 minutes, but on the bright side, it's only 77 minutes to watch over and over with your kids.

This is one of Disney's better sequels. It isn't a "Toy Story 2", but a far better movie than many other direct-to-video disasters we've seen. It's laugh out loud funny, but children may not get all the jokes.

Worth at least 4.5 stars.

Amanda Richards, September 8, 2004

I laughed so much during this movie! I loved it! I am a huge Lion King fan so I already had high expectations from the beginning but I can happily say that I was not disappointed. I loved practically every miniute of the movie. I really enjoyed how the original movie was intertwined with this movie. It was neat to see how some of the situations in the first movie were as of a result of some of the things that occurred in this movie. For example, the reason the pyramid of animals fell during the "I Just Can't Wait to be King" song, Timon's fault.

I really feel that this movie could have made some good money if it had been released into theaters. Although Finding Nemo recentely broke The Lion King's record doesn't mean that The Lion King is down for the count. The only negative thing I could say about this movie is that the song's aren't the absolute best but they are catchy enough to pass the grade.

Another thing I enjoyed about this movie were the hidden Mickey icons. I had begun to notice them while watching the movie for the first time (it's become a habit to check out the details in the recent movies since Disney tends to incorporate guest shots from previous movies into the newer ones). In the special features the watcher is informed that there is, in fact, 20 hidden Mickey's throughout the movie are challenged to find each and everyone of them. I have yet to be able to do this. Also the "Who Wants to be King of the Jungle" game is fun but in order to win you have to be an avid Lion King fan (like myself) becuase you are asked questions from all three Lion King movies. Each time you play there are different questions so it is always a challenge.

I think this is a must have movie! The Lion King Lives on just like the great Circle of Life!

I had doubt buying this movie, since most straight to video sequels of popular animation movies arn't theatere quality.(theyre too short, not original cast, TV quality animation, just not original). This movie defeats all odds! It has a good time length of 77 mins., and the animation is definitely movie theatere quality! The original cast is back (Mathew Broderick, Whoopie Goldberg, Nathan Lane, etc.) and it has a ton of funny references to the original. It's very original, and a lot of people are saying it should have been in theateres instead of Jungle Book 2 and so on. Go buy this movie NOW!