On Friday, Sept. 16, seventeen years after its first release, The Lion King returned to theaters in 3D.
The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a lion cub who hopes to be king of the jungle like his father, Mufasa. On his journey, he meets Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him the philosophy: Hakuna Matata, which means “no worries.” After coming back to reality, grown-up Simba journeys back to the Pride Lands. There he reunites with his first love, Nala. She convinces him to face Scar and end the dictatorship that has ruined their kingdom. He defeats Scar and takes over the Pride Lands, fulfilling his destiny.
Daniel Floyd, junior, expressed his opinion about the film. “I saw the movie this weekend with a group of friends. I used to watch it all the time with my brother when I was little. I enjoyed it in 3D, but I like the original movie better because you can’t make something better that’s already perfect.”
I work at the Brier Creek movie theater. I was there the night it came out, and the day after, too. The real enthusiasm was in the young children who hadn’t seen the original version. Every time their little faces lit up as they admired their Lion King themed glasses.
There weren’t very many teenagers or adults without children. Reminiscing with friends or parents and watching the VHS copy you have at home is a much better way to enjoy the film. Most people who saw the 3D film after watching the 2D film were let down and expressed their disappointment to our managers and myself.
No changes in the plot or characters were made; the only difference is the 3D aspect. Only about 20% of the film is actually 3D. The special effects are okay, but they aren’t worth the outrageous price–$13.50–the movie theater will charge.
If I could change one thing about the film, it would be to put a director’s cut in the end explaining how the movie was originally made. A complaint about my Lion King: 3D experience is the image was blurred sometimes. The 3D effects distracted me from the plot, and I missed a few details. For someone who hasn’t seen it before, the film would seem all over the place. The effects seemed to appear at the most random times. The original film is unique, and no special effect can make it better.
The film, in 2D or 3D, is appropriate for all ages, but I recommend watching the 2D version.
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