The Lion King (in 3D) - (September 16th, 2011): PG
Distributor: Buena Vista
Opening Weekend Box-Office: #1 with $30,151,614
Domestic Box-Office Gross to-date: $64,697,402
Gross Revenue: $409,239,178 (Lifetime Gross)
Production Budget: N/A
Directors: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Of all the animated classics that comprise the fabled Disney Renaissance, The Lion King has always been my favorite. The highest-grossing hand drawn animation in history, The Lion King has produced a truly admirable legacy…anyone who grew up in the ‘90s undoubtedly knows the Academy Award winning songs by heart and has seen the Broadway adaptation, but the younger generation clearly does not appreciate the phrase “hakuna matata” on the same level. When I heard that this Disney classic would be re-released in a limited two week engagement AND in 3D, I was a little skeptical; sure, I was glad that newer audiences would be introduced to Simba and Mufasa, but the 3D seemed little more than a shameless ploy to pad this film’s already-impressive lifetime gross. I’ve seen the film more times than I can count, and I have the DVD in my living room, so there was little reason for me to shell out money to go to the theater, but I do admit to being curious as to what The Lion King would look like in 3D. Well, several loyal readers of Pantages’ Theater adamantly requested that I review The Lion King, and so that was really all the motivation I needed to watch one of my favorite movies again…darn.
I really don’t need to go into the Hamlet-inspired plot of the film or comment on the overall film quality…it’s The Lion King, of course it’s amazing. The familiar story and classic songs are always welcome and endlessly entertaining, and thankfully, this time around Disney wisely decided to cut the god-awful “Morning Report” song that currently desecrates the DVD. As for the 3D, I hate to admit that the technology felt largely wasted; sure, the picture was crisp and definitely more refined, but not only did the resolution bring attention to the hand-drawn aspect of the film, there was also very little content that actually jumped off of the screen. Of course there weren’t going to be explosions, but how do you not seize the opportunity to turn the Wildebeest Stampede into a true testament to 3D technology? Still, even if the 3D feels wasted, there is still an enjoyable element to watching a familiar film return to the big screen in all of its glory…its still fun to sing the songs and heartbreaking to shed a tear when Mufasa dies (it certainly didn’t help that the kid behind me started bawling and screaming “wake up”). If you loved the film then, you’ll still love it now, so it’s only a question if you are willing to pay to see The Lion King again.
Based on box office receipts, this Lion King re-release has been nothing short of brilliant, both from a revenue perspective and from a strategy standpoint. Being the only true family film in theaters at the time of its release, it is no surprise that Simba reigned in his first weekend, but beating out Moneyball in the second weekend with over $22 million was legendary, especially in September. Seriously, not many September releases can boast as high a domestic revenue as that of $64 million in a little less than two weeks. What is brilliant about this distribution strategy is that it coincides with the 3D Blu-Ray release of The Lion King…Disney diehards were going to buy it anyway, but now the film is top-of-mind, as old fans have been reminded of how much they love Pride Rock, and legions of the young and newly-converted can pester parents at the check-out stand; sales should be impressive. If your only motivator for seeing The Lion King again is that it is in 3D, I’d advise you to skip, but if you are a devoted follow of the worry-free philosophy of Timon and Pumbaa or still giggle when you hear “Asante sana, squash banana,” then go visit your old friends at the theater.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
