Review of the film "The Lion King" - a beautiful, nostalgic, but completely empty remake of the classic

On the Russian screens out another "live" the adaptation of the Disney cartoon. The trend for such remakes studio launched a long time: "Beauty and the Beast," "The Jungle Book," "Dumbo," "Aladdin" - here just a few examples of classic Disney stories peresnyatyh with modern technology and the real actors in the past years.

Now, however, we reached and a true legend - the cartoon, which many consider the best creation of the studio, and sometimes even the world of animation. The director's chair took Jon Favreau - the creator of the two parts of "Iron Man" and, most importantly, "The Jungle Book."

This decision seems logical - the same "Dumbo" and "Aladdin", filmed by Tim Burton and Guy Ritchie, were perceived ambiguously. Too closely to the authors it proved distinctive within almost lapse peresomki classics.

A Favreau used to work in the producer project, especially since he already has the experience of creating a "live" animation of animals and birds - "The Jungle Book" looks much better eerie "Mowgli"Andy Serkis.

Yet, even taking as a basis the great classics, the authors were unable to avoid exactly the same problems that dogged previous similar projects. Moreover, the specificity of "The Lion King" will only exacerbate them, is not to hide the flaws of the acting game graphics - living artists simply not in the frame.

According to the tradition of films like the story does not carry any important new line. This is exactly the same familiar with the history of childhood, rooted in Shakespeare's "Hamlet": the king's brother kills monarch and the heir to the rogue must restore his good name, and return power to save subjects.

Overall retell the content of "The Lion King" is pointless - it will look or those who already knows the story, or their children. For the former, the authors have laid up a large portion of nostalgia, for the second - modern animation lets you see the "actor's game" realistic animals. But even with that, and the other has problems.

Verbatim, but the slow repetition of the classics

All fans of the original "The Lion King" certainly experience a stunningly pleasant flashbacks from the very first frame. The same scene with little Simba and his parents under great music involuntarily forced to smile and think about the first time you view classic cartoon.

But then it is a nostalgic approach becomes a problem. After all, those who are familiar with the original, do not see anything new. And it's not just the basic turns and roundabout. Despite the fact that the timing has increased by half an hour, nothing on my own creators remake could not add. Story simply stretched under the format of the modern cinema.

The "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast," the authors had little space to fit the plot under current trends. Therefore, Jasmine and Belle became independent and active.

But in the "Lion King" such topics add nowhere. It is an integral and very simple story, which had to be lengthened. And they did it in the simplest way: many scenes and dialogues tightened, added the general plans, songs and jokes. But all this has gone only harm.

Firstly, the insertion greatly reduced dynamics. Judging objectively, even the original "The Lion King" is not too loaded with events: after the tragic coming most of the time just having fun with Simba Timon and Pumbaa. Cartoon kept his emotional moments associated with Mufasa, Nala, and other characters from past.

Extra minutes of timing only even more "smeared" the story, and now between bright scenes causing nostalgia, pause significantly larger, which means that the viewer has time to relax and cease to root for heroes.

Secondly, these moments too noticeable as distracting from the overall pace. It is perfectly clear at the outset: after the opening scene in the original cartoon appears fussy mouse that seconds after 10 catches Scar. The new version of this rodent devoted roughly half minutes. Just to show the beauty of shooting and buy time.

Comedy duo Timon and Pumbaa finished writing jokes Scar much longer talks about the injustice of choice King, Nala Sarabi and gave more time to show the tragedy of their lives during the reign villain. But all this does not increase the dramatic effect, but simply draws each scene.

And felt the difference in soundtrack - classical compositions fit into the whole concept, and a new look foreign, and therefore less memorable. Here, by the way, there is another problem - the Russian dubbing. Of course, since the film is intended to children, it is logical duplicate songs. But the original voices are lost - they are then better listen separately.

Too lively cartoon

As for the visual part of the film, then it is still more ambiguous. On the one hand, it really is a triumph of modern computer technology. On the other - it is the excessive realism, strange as it seems, prevents perceive the characters alive.

With the remake of "Aladdin", which the audience liked, everything was easier. There, most of the characters are just people only needed to find suitable actors. And even in "Dumbo" computer elephant existed among these artists who overtighten the most important scenes.

"The Lion King" can be called a film only conditional - it is almost completely created on the computer, and it does not appear live actors. In fact, this is also the animation, only a modern and realistic, as opposed to a classic pattern.

And at first, its level will delight not only children, but also the most discerning adult. Fluffy Lion looks very lively, he sweet little face and shorstka one wants to pat. Animals move so naturally, if not show a feature film, and Documentaries from Animal Planet. Sometimes it is even difficult to believe that it all been drawn in and not withdrawn somewhere in Africa.

This vividness attracts attention. After all, whatever may be said about the ageless classics, to date pictures of the old 2D cartoon-many, especially children sometimes appear insufficiently detailed. You can simply compare the visual range of the modern "Spider-Man: Across the Universe"Where every frame hundreds of small items, and sketchy characters of the classic" The Lion King, "which children in the nineties easily rubbings with inserts.

Yet they did so by chance. And in the new film it becomes clear as soon as it comes to a dramatic part, especially the conversations.

The whole story just begins to fall apart.

Wonder in Disney classics in animals always had human eyes, the shape of the mouth and teeth. This made it possible to convey the fear, joy, surprise and other emotions that are understandable and familiar to us. Even moving painted animals are often more like people, keeping the originals from only the most important features.

If we get to talk a realistic lion or warthog, it turns out that he just opens his mouth without passing any emotion and without changing expression eyes. In ozvuchke with audible joy, sadness and anger. But imagine someone who speaks very emotionally, and looks it is completely quiet - the same feeling create characters in the film.

Their appearance is now no "humanity." And the recent ridiculous trade, where change places face of positive and negative cartoon characters just would not have worked - lions snouts look about the same.

Already in the "Jungle Book" of the same Favreau may have noticed similar problems. But there is at least the animals often behave like human beings, as in the original cartoon. Here he and habits have changed in the animal, and the exterior made entirely naturalistic.

Therefore, the characters lost much of its charm. Yes, many people love these lions. But what Pumbaa? Funny and cute character into a rather creepy creature. Just because in reality warthogs not too pleasant.

In this case, even in the cartoon villains looked more funny than scary. In the film Scar did not mean-spirited and resourceful, what indicated a sly smile and movement, but just shabby and evil. Appearance and behavior of hyenas does not entertain, and repels. A joke on their part have to forget.

FROM comedy component at all difficult, because in the original it was built just on unrealistic moments and grotesque. Suffice it to recall a funny scene from the animated film where Scar Zazu trying to eat, and he talks, sticking his beak out of his mouth. Timon or shocked face at the time of the adult Simba with Nala meeting.

From all of this had to be abandoned for the sake of the same realism. Emotion, humor, love, fear and hatred - all this was replaced with a text. Heroes will now give voice to their thoughts and so make the audience understand. But can words convey the fear of falling Mufasa?

Nostalgia for the maximum

But even with all of the above, it should be understood that in the Disney studio professionals who probably foresaw such reviews. Therefore, the entire advertising campaign, and the film itself is built on a proven operating the scheme: a minimum of innovations, high emotions and nostalgia.

Critics blame the film as much as necessary, but the audience will go to the movies and get exactly what they want. Initially all empty a tear in the coming time, then opened rasplachutsya during the tragedy and will laugh at the appearance of Timon and Pumbaa. Just because such moments are not amenable to rational explanation, they are designed for children emotions and memories in adults.

Quite often cling even documentaries about lizards and snakes from Discovery - they simply beautifully furnished. And if we add to this text, music and nostalgia - tears and laughter guaranteed.

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Doubt that the film will take place at the box perfectly, it is not necessary. It will look, to praise for advanced special effects to speak of full immersion into the world of animals. The kids will love the cute little animals, and adults will remember the youth.

Yet "The Lion King" - a kind of apotheosis of the "live" remakes Disney classics. This is a very high quality, but sterile and soulless retelling of familiar stories.