Film Review #62: The Lion King 1 1/2

The general public seems to really like this movie.  They like the expanded roles given to Timon and Pumbaa, they all laugh at the vulgarity and sheer oddness of the script and the jokes have to offer, and they really get behind Timon and his journey to find a home away from the meerkat colony.  To be quite frank, I didn't.  I didn't like this movie when it first came out, and I don't like it now.  I guess, to me, The Lion King is one of those movies that should never be screwed with, or at least not screwed with by Disney.  If this was an Animaniacs cartoon or a Cartoon Network spoof, then I would probably like it, but to have Disney mock their own film like this is just insulting to me.  Nevertheless, I do understand why people like it.  It's outrageous and hilarious at points, but I feel that to give The Lion King this kind of sequel is a bit odd.

Plot: Timon and Pumbaa, who after arguing about where to start the original film, decide to tell the audience their side of the story.

Timon grew up and lived in a meerkat colony on the far outskirts of the Pridelands.  The meerkat colony was a neurotic group that kept digging tunnels in the ground to avoid being eaten by hyenas.  Timon (being the quirky guy that no one understands or appreciates because he is a constant screw up *cough* Flik *cough*), realizes he doesn't fit in with his family and leaves home to find his perfect dream home, much to his mother's chagrin.  He comes across Rafiki, who tells him about a life of carefree souls like Timon is the life of Hakuna Matata.

While searching for his "Hakuna Matata", Timon meets with Pumbaa, and the two begin looking at Pride Rock, but find a much better home for them behind it.  The next few agonizing moments are with them ruining several scenes in the original film (such as the opening scene, "I Just Can't Wait To Be King", and of course the Wildebeest Stampede).  Finally, the duo finds their dream home and begin crafting paradise, but not before they come across the body of Simba, whom they raise as their own son for a while.

Naturally, Simba grows up and becomes part of the family, but Nala's arrival hinders the trios good times.  Timon and Pumbaa try to break the young lovers up, and think they succeed despite really doing nothing.  The next morning, Timon and Pumbaa wake up to Nala telling them Simba returned to Pride Rock to confront his Uncle Scar and the hyenas.  Timon, showing an extremely selfish and bitchy attitude I wasn't expecting (in a bad way), refuses to help Simba, claiming he felt betrayed, but Pumbaa and Nala go off after him.  Naturally, Timon realizes he was being a douche and races off to help Simba save the Pride Lands however he can.

What's Bad?: While I was expecting the whole cast to receive expanded roles, the only three characters who get the time to develop their characters in this movie are Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba.  The hyenas didn't really have the chance to expand their roles, while Mufasa and Scar didn't even get a single line in.

The fact that this film had the gall to crap all over the elements that made the first film good, still mindblows me to this day.  Almost every famous scene in the first movie gets shit on, from Pumbaa farting to make everyone "bow" to Simba, to Timon knocking the pyramid of animals over in "Can't Wait To Be King", and to the numerous plot holes the film makes in the original.  Here are just a few of them that I observed:

1. If Timon and Rafiki have met prior to the original film, why does Timon not know who Rafiki is in the original?  But he's quick to remember him throughout the movie?

2. How do the hyenas not recognize Timon from their earlier attack on the Meerkat Colony?

3. Does it even make sense that Timon and Pumbaa would attempt to make a home in the Elephant Graveyard, which is KNOWN HYENA TERRITORY?

4. In all the scenes that Timon and Pumbaa are involved in from the original film, how does Simba not notice them?

5. How are the hyenas able to witness Scar selling them out when they are seen clearly chasing after Timon and Pumbaa?  And how do the Hyenas not hear or feel the digging under their feet?

6. How are the hyenas able to escape from the tunnels that Ma and Uncle Max dig to finish off Scar?

7. How does Simba have the time to relax and take time off with Timon and Pumbaa at the end of the movie, when we clearly see him returning to power in the final scenes?

But the biggest fault the movie has is Timon.  His arrogance is very apparent and makes me despise his character each time I see the original.  Timon not only chooses to be lazy and live a life of luxury, but also steps all over Pumbaa the whole movie, seeks to ruin Simba and Nala's relationship to protect his interests, and even says he doesn't care if Simba gets killed in his return to fight Scar and the Hyenas.  That is not a good protagonist for a children's movie.

What's Good?: At least a few elements from the first movie appear in this film...

Overall: The film most famously known for crapping over a good film is, BIG SHOCK, a bad film.  I do know why people like it, but I hold the original in much highers esteem than them I guess.

Report Card:

Hero:                            F
Heroine:                     N/A
Villains:                       D
Side Characters:         B 
Songs:                          C
Musical Score:            D
Animation:                   A
Story:                           F
Theme:                         B-

Does the Film hold up to the Original?:    NO!  Ha ha ha, NO!