The Lion King in 3D

The Lion King 3D

Production year: 2011

Country: USA

Cert (UK): U

Runtime: 88 mins

Directors: Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers

Cast: Ernie Sabella, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane

This new 3D presentation of the 1994 Disney classic The Lion King seems to be an try to gouge cash from what Gordon Brown used to sound "hardworking families". What closely is grown from putting this movie into 3D?

There's previously a much better 3D version in the form of Julie Taymor's renowned and much appreciated stage show. Lion King fans will practically certainly have seen that by now, and may remember the Imax cinema rerelease here in 2002, which, like the DVD Platinum Edition, involved the bonus Morning Report song.

 This latest dramatic release doesn't even have that. So what's the fact? Well, 3D possibly gives a greater impression to the panorama scenes at the opening and to the extensive outlooks near the end as Simba and his pals review his ruined fatherland from afar. But coming off images from a lone plane could be said to destruct the original's pictorial integrity and appeal. In short, lovers of the film could just find it diverting.

Well, it's continually good to see it over again and Tim Rice's lyrics are snappy and fun. (I always like Scar's creepy promises to his hyena henchmen: "I know it looks sordid/But you'll be pleased.") It's undoubtedly a Disney classic in the vein of The Jungle Book, and even probably exceeds that in terms of expressive power and mature themes. No one could reject its quality. But this release appears a bit distrustful.