The Lion King 1 1/2 Reviews

• Money Motivated Sequel -- Not So Good

  
  By on 2004-01-20
  Once upon a time Disney turned out animated films with depth, beauty and quality. Well, so much for the good old days. Now Disney turns out good movies -- once in a while -- followed by a series of quick, cheap, straight to video sequels designed to make a buck as quickly as possible before word gets out that the movie is cheap, rushed and not very good.

  The Lion King was a great movie. The Lion King 1 ½ is a not so good. The Lion King 1 ½ retells The Lion King story from the point of view of Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog. The problem is that their story is not very interesting or worth telling - except to squeeze more money out of The Lion King franchise.

  Timon the meerkat is a bumbling misfit who one day decides he's better off living on his own. While alone in the wild, he runs into Pumbaa the warthog. They have a few misadventures together before eventually running into Simba - about half way through the movie. And the movie never really picks up until they run into Simba. In the meantime you have to sit through 45 minutes to an hour of story - Timon and Pumbaa -- that's not very interesting.

  Kids will still probably like this but if you are an adult who enjoyed - and still enjoys - The Lion King, this can get a bit tedious as you wait for Simba to show up and get things going.
  
  

• Typical Hollywood Formula Junk begging for your dollar

  
  By A3EY1CA1C5PCNF on 2004-02-11
  When are people going to open their eyes and see that all Hollywood is throwing at you is unoriginal, rehashed, remakes, and tired old concepts? Don't you want or demand something new? Is it just easier for people to just numb themselves to it for the kids? Hollywood is using your kids against you to steal your money. This is the PERFECT example.

  Lion King 1 1/2 is yet another telling of the classic Lion King. Who cares? We have the original. Finding Nemo is the same story as Monsters Inc and Ice Age. Little kid lost, gotta get home.

  Yet time and again parents feed on this stuff. WAKE UP! When your kid asks for this movie just say NO. Let them know that you already have the Lion King. Yes, it IS that easy. That's what I told my kids when they wanted Little Mermaid 2 or all the other 2's from Disney. Guess what? They saw those movies at their friends house, because their parents couldn't say no, and they hated them! My kids came back to me and told me how bad those sequels are and they were GLAD I didn't buy it. If YOU try this too, it will work. But don't rub it in their face, just teach them the difference between original stories and Studios begging for a buck.

  If you stop buying this junk, then you wont encourage the suits in Hollywood who are driving nice cars and living in huge homes all because of YOUR hard earned money. Clearly the message you send to Disney, when you buy into this, is "we don't need original ideas Mr. Eisner because we can't tell our kids no."
  
  

• One and a half is right (stars that is)

  
  By A323X38K7XR9FI on 2004-02-11
  Disney, the word itself brings images of magic, great storytelling and fun and entertaining. This movie is none of these.I noticed right from the start that I was annoyed watching this film. The constatnt interuption of Timones "remote",which I assume was supposed to be clever, turns out to be annoying. What was Disney Thinking??? Unoriginal in every way. It actually ruins my ability to even want to watch the original "Lion King"! As endearing as Timone and Pumba are, they can't pull a whole feature on their own. Sorry Disney.I'm even sorrier I forked over twenty hard earned dollars for this "film".
  This film is only a rehash of the first one, who realy cares about these two guys. I know I didn't come away feeling very entertained. This is Disney recycled. Save your money folks.
  I wish I did. :(
  
  

• A suprising delight in the Lion King saga!

  
  By A1COW0UIB5HA9J on 2005-01-01
  
  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.
  
  

• Surprisingly good direct-to-video release from Disney

  
  By ASIIJI02J2R9L on 2004-03-07
  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
  
  

• For the True Disney Fan!
  By A21YJ7V5PPHK9Y on 2004-02-03
  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!
  
  
• I thought this movie was terrible
  By A1LRLORHHENRZD on 2004-02-16
  The movie takes place in a movie theater where Timone and pumba are watching a moving apparently that they have recorded during the time before they raised Simba. Timone and Pumba watch the movie with the audiance. Later the film jumps to the part where they meet Simba and raised him. In the middle of some of the scenes, Pumba or Timone would stop the video which I thought was annoying and distracting.

  This movie stank because it was not about Simba, but more about Timone. For that reason, I was very disappointed. His character is very annoying and he's NOT strong enough or appealing enough to be a lead! I suspect that the guy that did Timone's voice was the executive producer, because he was in every scene. The story was so weak that I cannot write about it or describe it. What was the point of this movie? It displayed scence from the original movie--which I loved--but it did not offer me anything except a little bit of backgroun on Timone. At the very least, Disney could have given us a little background about pumba, or give us a little more on Simba, Kiara or even Zira for that matter!
  I cannot believe I spent $19.00 on this DVD. I give it one start for some of the music.
  
  

• in timon's words it's a prileequil
  By on 2004-01-29
  I love these two guys ther the funniest side kicks
  ever in the disney movies,

  they even got ther own cartoon show on toon disney,
  what you will expect is a wacky funny comedy
  of lion king retold my these funny guy,
  just remember it's a comedy,
  
  don't say oh no not another made for DVD
  sequel, well it is not a sequel it's a
  in timon's words a prileequil meaning
  a funny comedy of a retold lion king
  as timon and pomba are the stars,

  the DVD will have 2 disks
  like the lion king DVD,
  as a DVD extra's lover,
  the gold is it has real bloopers
  not the made up bloopers
  like in the end of toy story,
  which I like but the real recording
  bloopers by the will be a real treat,

  well if your a big fan of timon and pomba
  and realy want to see more of them
  jokes like in the lion king
  movie and TV show, you will enjoy
  this DVD whith extra's and all
  can't stop these funny guys.^_^
  
  

• No, no, no.
  By on 2004-02-16
  This is the last disney "cheapquels" I will ever buy. The problem with this movie isn't the animation. The animation is "OK," I guess, but more of the low quality animation associated with TV, than with feature films. The problem here is that the story is simply boring. It's meant to be a comic take on The Lion King, as told from the perspective of Timon and Pumba, but really, the plot is thin, the characters are shallow and didn't capture my attention in the least. Sadly, the film--probably to save money--is inter-cut with actual scenes from the original Lion King. The gualing part about this is that it reminded me how well-crafted and interesting the original film was. Also, how good the original animation and story were compared to this crap! Yes, the concept "seems" funny. And the cover art looks well done. If only the folks at Disney had spent more time on the actual film, particularly in character and story development. If you want to be bored for 70 minutes, buy this film now. Otherwise, save your money.
  
  
• Even my three-year-old wouldn't watch this lame movie
  By APHP2PY1TSICO on 2004-03-01
  After about a half hour of this terrible DVD, my son asked to turn it off and watch the original Lion King instead. I was relieved -- if you like potty humor, that may be the only slightly amusing thing in it. The timelines and plot (such as it is) make no sense, and the little humor there is is at the expense of the original movie. I wouldn't even recommend this as a rental. Michael Eisner is taking Disney down the toilet a bit too literally with this one.
  
  
• The trailer showed the best parts
  By A1D7SF4DIZ49VH on 2004-03-04
  I was very excited to see this movie, as the trailer looked very funny.

  There were some good references to the first movie (like the song, "I just can't wait to be King") but, overall, very disappointing.

  The songs were lame, not very catchy, and the characters were very self involved. Timon is not a role model for children....
  
  

• The Nature Of Truth And Reality
  By A3N1FNJ22SO2UZ on 2004-02-08
  I don't understand why this was made. Are the filmmakers
  insinuating that the events of THE LION KING did not really
  happen the way they happened in the original film? If
  they are, then, cinematically speaking, THE LION KING is not true
  to its own reality. Given the highly dubious nature of this
  direct-to-video fart joke, however, I think it's safe to say that the events of THE LION KING are indisputable and concrete.
  
  
• Not what I expected.... Rather boring....
  By A2LER16JFKO902 on 2004-02-23
  I understand that this is from Timone and Pumba's point of view.. But I thought that some of it was a blaitant tear down of the first film! The scene that pointed it out to me was where they supposidly made Simba and Nala fall down that hell during the "Can you Feel the Love Tonight?" sequence... And most of the time we see them jabbering like Siskel and Ebert during parts of the movie.. All we see is their shadows! After a while I stopped the film and went to disc 2 and played the jungle verson of "Millionare" and that was more fun then the film itself...
  I would stick to the Lion King and Lion King 2 Simba's Pride.. These other films were so much better...
  
  
• not very disney like
  By A21AUL2697X6IJ on 2004-02-11
  this was one of the worst disney movies i have ever had the misfortune of sitting down with my son and watching, the drawing and special effects were not even close to the original lion king, not to mention the several "fart" and "burp" jokes laced throughout the entire film. the story itself is ok but lacks continuity, (very choppy). walt disney you owe me twenty bucks
  
  
• A very pleasant surprise: a good Disney sequel!
  By A2H9UO8RYFX5MB on 2004-02-11
  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.
  
  

• Contrived, but your six year old might like it
  By A3646N1G75LFW8 on 2004-02-13
  .
  My son and I love the Lion King, but this one is just ok.

  The animation, voice talents, and music are fantastic. The story...well there is none. There is no independent story here of Pumba and Timon, just inserts on how they affected every piece of the original story. Really lacking originality.

  That being said, it was worth it for true fans. There were a few funny jokes for adults. An older child might think it was hilarious since it pokes fun at the original Lion King, but I think younger viewers just won't get it and won't find it engaging.

  In general it is worth the buy for Lion King fans, but don't expect much. (Lion King I is excellent by the way, and Lion King II while kind of dark and violent...it sort of grows on you.)
  
  

• RENT, DON'T BUY
  By A3LRBY7QV1B9M1 on 2004-02-15
  What a waste of time and effort. Disney again hits a new low by regurgitaing one of its own "classics" to boost its DVD sales for the quarter, only this time it hypes a self-parody of "The Lion King" and diminishes it into a rolling mess of potty humor and weak plotlines. The premise, if there is one, is the retelling of the original story from the viewpoint of Timon and Pumbaa. It fails miserably. The continuity of the "story" is forceably broken at times by freezing the film and showing the silhouettes of Timon and Pumbaa in a movie theater (ala "Mystery Science Theater"), fighting over the remote control, picking noses, flipping mucous, and generally whining obnoxiously over who had the best scene. My own five-year-old daughter lost interest twenty minutes into the movie, calling it "stupid". Don't waste your money on this over-priced mess. Rent instead, and turn it in quickly.
  
  
• Going for the quick buck
  By A108GI52Q6WMIT on 2004-02-17
  No wonder Roy Disney left the company accusing Michael Eisner of going for the 'quick buck' with low quality products. What a crappy movie.
  
  
• an overseas view
  By A3C4I89M62JW6G on 2004-03-11
  I bought this under the Asian-release title "Lion King 3." First, I'd like to point out some disappointments. One, I thought the meerkat song in the beginning was kind of weak, a song written "just so there would be a song." Two, maybe more of Pumbaa's story could have been told, because I wasn't really thrilled with Timon's weak history (he wasn't even kicked out! he could have left ages ago). Three, I thought the central storyline of Timon looking for a dream home was not strong enough to explain why he ran into many of the Lion King's events. And four, I thought there were too many interruptions during the movie, where Timon and Pumbaa pause it to offer some adlib; it got a little too numerous.
  That said, it was very interesting to see things from Timon and Pumbaa's perspective. It was funny to see them in the middle of Simba's encounters. It was worth the time and will definitely put a smile on your face. However, I don't imagine watching this one too many times. Sort of like a stand-up comic; if you hear him more than once, it's not as good.
  
  
• Depends on your audience....
  By ADESGAG3X70EY on 2004-02-11
  I bought this DVD for my two sons, ages 4 and 2, who adore the first Lion King movie. For them, the Lion King 1 1/2 gets five stars all the way; we've already watched it three times. They both like it very much. If you are an adult who enjoyed the first Lion King movie, and so want to watch the second, you might be disappointed. This movie simply cannot compare with the Oscar-nominated original (a fact that shouldn't be a surprise, given its release straight to DVD). However, if you have children who enjoyed the first Lion King movie, the Lion King 1 1/2 is a winner.
  
  
• This movie is very funny, and should be in theateres!
  By A3E7TA8OGYJ75J on 2004-02-12
  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!
  
  
• Disney invents a scary new trend
  By on 2004-02-16
  Now, not only do we have sequels, we have half-sequels - retellings, essentially remakes, of classics.

  By all means go buy this movie, especially if you look forward to Nemo 1 1/2 from the dentist's perspective, Toy Story 1 1/2 from Barbie's perspective, etc. etc. etc.

  Thanks to the disappearance of Pixar from the Disney team, you can kick the tires all you want, they're still going to be retreads.
  
  

• I thought this movie was terrible
  By A1LRLORHHENRZD on 2004-02-16
  The movie takes place in a movie theater where Timone and pumba are watching a moving apparently that they have recorded during the time before they raised Simba. Timone and Pumba watch the movie with the audiance. Later the film jumps to the part where they meet Simba and raised him. In the middle of some of the scenes, Pumba or Timone would stop the video which I thought was annoying and distracting.

  This movie stank because it was not about Simba, but more about Timone. For that reason, I was very disappointed. His character is very annoying and he's strong enough or good-looking enough to be a lead! I suspect that the guy that did Timone's voice was the executive producer, because he was in every scene. The story was so weak that I cannot write about it or describe it. What was the point of this movie? It displayed scence from the original movie--which I loved--but it did not offer me anything except a little bit of backgroun on Timone. At the very least, Disney could have given us a little background about pumba, or give us a little more on Simba, Kiara or even Zira for that matter!
  I cannot believe I spent $19.00 on this DVD. I give it one start for some of the music.
  
  

• Answering the questions you didn't ask.
  By on 2004-07-15
  First of all let me say I love the first Lion King. Its probably my second favorite animated movie after Finding Nemo. That being said I hated this movie. The first Lion King is mostly appropiate for children but has a mature storyline adults can enjoy. The Lion King 1 1/2 is just for kids. Anyone over the age of puberty will find something seriously wrong with this movie. I was also dissipointed with The Lion King 2 Simbas Pride. But at least the movie was decent. At least they tried to make it good. Its like the makers of The Lion King 1 1/2 were trying to make a bad movie. It is the first movie told from the point of view of Timon and Pumba. It tells there story. Is there anyone who cared about there story? Anyone who wondered what they were doing? Not me. I never was at any loss not knowing where they were. Whats next a remake of Tarzan from Terks point of view. It could have been decent if it was done right. It is done horribly. Its really just taking classic moments and loading them with unfunny jokes. It shows that Timon and Pumba were there in all scene of the first Lion King offscreen. Most of these scenes they really don't belong. For example in Simbas birth sequence Pumba farts causing the animals to bow down. Thats right they weren't bowing out of respect for there king is was just farts. Then they walk one day later to the "Can't wait to be king song" that makes no sense. Several dramatic sequences like the "Be Prepared", wildbeast stampeed, "can you feel the love tonight", Simbas fight, all are completly ruined by Timon and Pumba. They don't belong there. It also has annoying silowets of them constant stoping the movie. Movies this bad in a way help you appreciate the greatness of the original masterpeice. My advice to Disney is to stop those darn direct to video sequels. Just leave the classics alone.
  
  
• Disappointment
  By A28I2XHC63LG8D on 2004-07-22
  Lots of recycled footage and jokes from a film I already own. I'm disappointed in Disney for milking the Lion King franchise to this level.
  
  In my eyes, this was a pure mistake and could be a bad sign of things to come. I did not enjoy this film, my wife did not enjoy it, and my children did not enjoy it.
  
  Stick with the original.
  
  
• Another side of the same story
  By AQP1VPK16SVWM on 2004-02-11
  Disney's latest direct-to-video sequel The Lion King 1 1/2 is a delightful and charming comedic romp. We see events before, during and inbetween the major events of The Lion King. In lampooning the original film, the director and writers have made an entertaining alternative to the original film looking at events from the Rosencrantz and Guildensten of the story (if the "Hamlet" and "Romeo and Juliet" analogy mentioned in the booklet is to be believed).

  The animation is light years better than the average Saturday morning cartoon and the witty writing helps overcome any bumps in the road of telling a variation on the same story. The DVD begins by introducing us to Timon prior to meeting Pumba. Timon can't do anything right and his Uncle (played with comic zest by Jerry Stiller of Seinfeld and King of Queens fame) and his Mom (Julie Kavner from The Simpsons) are really the only two willing to give him a second chance. Needless to say, when Timon meets Rafiki for the first time and he gives Timon advice on where to find his place in the world, things get really goofy and funny. Most of the original voice cast appears in the DVD and the new song, although not quite up to "Circle of Life", is quite charming.

  When Timon finally meets Pumba, they manage to intersect with Simba's life without actually meeting him (and Scar as well as the Hyenas from the first film). They eventually find their place in the world when they "adopt" Simba and raise him. The parody of night feedings and the lack of sleep for new parents was a chuckle. There's also plenty of film parodies along the way including The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (with Ennio Moricone's famous theme music) and Fidler on the Roof ("Sunrise, Sunset" gets it here). They're also not above making fun of their own hit song during a bizarre sing-along during the film.

  The 77 minute film is paced well for little children and has enough witty lines, kid-style jokes and adventure to keep kids entertained. The extras are all on the second disc and include a number of cool interactive bits. "The Making of Lion King 1 1/2 " is mercifully short and entertaining. "Behind the Legend" makes fun of Biography with a peak at Timon's life. There's also 12 minutes of deleted scenes some of which are as much fun as the final film. There's also a music video starring Raven designed to make you want to go out and buy the soundtrack.

  "Timon and Pumbaa;s Virtual Safari 1.5" are the duo's self made theme park ride that takes pokes at the classic Disney rides. "Who Wants to be King of the Jungle" is a tired variation on "Who Wants to be a Millionaire". It's interactive enough to make it entertaining for a short while. Finally, there's "Hidden Mickey Hunt" was pretty good for little ones. Oh, thee's also the weak interactive activity "Find the Face" where your supposed to select the correct picture of the character that matches the silhouette.

  On the whole, The Lion King 1 1/2 shows a huge improvement in Disney direct-to-DVD films. The quality is solid and inspired much of the time and the second disc of games although not always successful, is still entertaining for kids. On the whole I'd have to give TLK 1 1/2 4 stars for entertainment value and the creativity that's gone into the project.
  
  

• This could have been released in Theaters
  By A3A68SBIPK2YWN on 2004-02-11
  I watched Lion King 1 1/2 with my kids, and my immediate thought was why didn't Disney release this in theaters. It is better than 99% of animated movies which you will ever see at the movies. This DVD has the look and production quality of a feature film and not a cheap direct to video movie. It is a cute, alternate take on the well-known Lion King story. All the original voice talents are back as well as quality new talents. I hope Disney ends this franchise on a high note and resists the urge to make Lion King 1 3/4.
  
  
• You all must be kidding, this movie sucked!
  By A1LCYH9KFI6EWD on 2004-02-22
  I don't know what you all are thinking who gave this movie anything above a 3, but it was NOT good. Where was the story, where was the plot, the climax, the suspense, the love???? It was BORING!!!! A couple nice songs, but NO STORY! If it was that great, why would it go straight to video???? Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Rent it once, you won't want to see it again.
  
  
• "Way to go, tunnel klutz. Who else could break a hole?"
  By A1T21SDTMATJ4F on 2004-02-26
  I got this movie not knowing what to expect, and I'll admit, I was very surprised! Before I begin my review, in my opinion, The Lion King 1 1/2 is either one of those movies you're either going to hate or absolutely love. I happen to love it. :) However, when you start the movie, expect comedy, not the majestic story that The Lion King and its first sequel were famous for. While still having its own plot (it's simple but very effective), the new movie could still be considered a parody.

  I'm sure many of you have heard of Timon and Pumbaa's role in the Circle of Life scene from the original movie through advertisements. If you haven't... well, I won't spoil it for you! For those of you who have heard of what they planned for the scene, I was worried about exactly how Disney planned to do but it worked nicely. Absolutely hilarious...

  The continuity with the original movie went very well (and yes, in my opinion, that even includes Timon's "Who's the monkey?" question in the first movie). The only place that it didn't seem to quite fit together was the ending where Timon and Pumbaa were trying to distract the hyenas, but after thinking it through for awhile, I suppose it did fit together. My criticism there is that they could have made it more clear, but I'm nitpicky like that. Please excuse my vagueness, again, I'm trying not to spoil anything here!

  The animation is beautiful and fits in very well with the movie. Be sure to compare Timon's "That's All I Need" song to Simba's "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" in the first movie and you'll see how they even took the care to use the same themes for graphic design... and the "I Just Can't Want to Be King" segment in the new movie, check the graphics there. Haha... hilarious. There are a few other cases like that, but I'm not going to mention them. Watch the movie and find out for yourself!

  Jokes galore! If you really want to get full enjoyment out of the movie, you'll need to A) watch The Lion King again first (unless you already practically memorized the movie), B) watch the movie more than one time in a row (the second time was much more enjoyable), and C) watch it with friends. There are so many jokes that refer to so many other things it helps if there's SOMEBODY there who can catch the joke and explain it to you. There were a few jokes I didn't fully get until my Jewish friend explained them to me.

  The new characters (Timon's Mom and Uncle Max) are great. I also gained a better appreciation for Rafiki during the movie -- what can I say? It's nice for a change when somebody ELSE hits him with the stick...

  As for the DVD extras, no, there were not as many as on The Lion King Special Edition, but please note that The Lion King Special Edition was just that -- a special edition! While there are less, I found the extras on this DVD to be more enjoyable than the ones on the special edition DVD (although the multi-language track thing on that DVD was pretty cool... but I'm off-topic!)

  I'm giving the movie a four. As for criticisms it would be that in places the movie either moved too fast (I find it hard to believe that the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" scene took place a day after "The Circle of Life" scene as the new movie seemed to suggest) or too slowly (which was part of the comedy, but seemed slightly overdone). My other criticism would be in the animation near the beginning of the movie with the hyenas, that's the only place that I remember where the characters just didn't quite look right. However that problem seemed to be fixed as the movie went along.

  My suggestion? Buy the movie, or at least rent it. Come on, seeing "teen" Simba is worth it, LOL! The Lion King 1 1/2 gave me a new appreciation for many of the characters. I consider it a very good sequel... interquel... "behind-the-scenes-quel" whatever the heck it is. :P
  
  

• Lion King 0/Tom II
  By A1S0TB8S4Y7CIQ on 2004-03-14
  I'm going to sound like the Grinch, but I watch TV and feature-length DVD cartoons every day. I can tolerate most of what I see, or I'd have blown my brains out years ago. Some stuff I love (the original Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty, Finding Nemo, etc.). On the other hand, my son, who just turned four, is pretty easy to please. As long as there's no live action, he's happy. (The exception was the pathetic Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, which could not hold his attention for even one viewing.)

  But my son isn't writing this review. To Nathan Lane, I say, "I knew Zero Mostel, he was a friend of mine, and Mr. Lane, you're no Zero Mostel!" Indeed, Nathan Lane embodies the creative mediocrity of the age. When he was about 89, I saw the late Bob Hope (who was far from my favorite comic) for what I believe was the last time he was a late night talk show guest. When Hope, Mr. Timing, missed his mark on his one-liners, I knew it was over for him. For Nathan Lane, it never began.

  Then there's the original music - oops, excepting one instantly forgettable opener, there isn't any. Some songs are recycled from the original, and others are ripped off from every source imaginable, including spaghetti westerns, though the producers didn't give proper attribution. Now, some folks will say, I'm using a sledgehammer to kill a flea; after all, it's straight-to-video. But the price is premium. I paid $25 for this dreck, and it lists at $30! If we're not supposed to expect full quality, then charge only $10 or $12, for cryin' out loud. For a premium price, you must deliver premium quality, not leftovers.

  What about the story?, you ask. Don't. There is no story to speak of, just recycled characters from the original. But I really shoulda known - just check out the "screenwriter." Tom Rogers should rename himself either "Tom Ripoff" or "Tom II." Look at his credits: Lady and the Tramp II; Cinderella II; The Jungle Book II ... He has never been associated with a quality, original children's movie. Not only is the man a grave robber, but after robbing the dead, he commits sacrileges and abominations upon the corpses! Doesn't Nemo's Law provide special punishments and registries to govern such dastardly, repeat offenders? Where do I go to press charges for the aesthetic abuse of my son? And what about victims' services?!
  
  But it gets worse. Fortunately, I bought this at a store. And so, when Disc II - which allegedly contains featurettes and games -- failed to function, I was able to bring it back and exchange it. But Disc II was equally defective on the second pack. (I'm bringing it back for a refund tonight.) I imagine some of the Disc IIs must work, but if I got two consecutive lemons, there must be thousands of lemons out there. And so, if you absolutely must see this, wait until you can rent it.

  The Critical Critic, March 14, 2004.
  
  

• The Lion King 2 - Simba's Pride (2-Disc Special Edition)
• The Lion King (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
• Beauty and the Beast
• Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)
• 101 Dalmatians (Two-Disc Platinum Edition)