The Lion King 1½ 2004

THE WACPINE OF 'THE LION KING 1 1/2'

WRITING: 5
ATMOSPHERE: 6
CHARACTERS: 7
PRODUCTION: 7
INTRIGUE: 4
NOVELTY: 7
ENJOYMENT: 6

Focusing on perhaps Disney’s most well-known and beloved supporting characters and their backstory, the third Lion King film is a surprisingly inventive, yet fairly forgettable affair. It gives us the untold story of Timon and Pumbaa we never wanted. The funniest and most delicious part of the plot is the retelling of the first Lion King from the viewpoint of our two protagonists. We realize they have been around more than previously depicted. That being said, there is hardly any point to the plot other than messing around for 90 minutes. The ending is a major WTF moment that we could have done without.

This film is goofy and silly and not much else. The story is incoherent, the jokes don't land and they overuse the fourth-wall break aspect. The songs are forgettably bland, except for the small nods to the original hits and the admittedly horrible version of Hakuna Matata. The deep friendship between Timon and Pumbaa is the best thing this film has to offer as well as the clever way it deals with the events of the first film.

Timon and Pumbaa take centre stage in this film, and they are as goofy as ever. Their bromance has never been more palpable as here. An entire film with them becomes a bit too much for adult viewers, however, unless you're a diehard fan. The story also features several new supporting characters, none of them memorable.

You can clearly see that this 2004 film uses a different animation technique to the original; the slicker, more polished animation lacks some of the grunginess of the first film. The editing is more straightforward as well, and not as inventive.

The two most popular characters of the original film are the gimmick that keeps this film going. Audiences are also teased with snippets of the songs from the first film. Don't bother with this film unless you truly love the goofy duo.

Amazingly, this film manages to rethink the Lion King formula in ways different from Lion King 2, with fourth-wall-breaks and plenty of new and exciting content to flesh out Timon and Pumbaa.

Friends of Timon and Pumbaa will find much to love here, but for me, this film is slightly too incoherent and silly to stand up the way the first two is done.

WACPINE RATING: 6.00 / 10 = 3 stars

Synopsis: We all know the story of Simba's triumph over his evil uncle Scar, who killed Simba's father Mufasa...but, there's even more to that tale than you knew! Focusing on the backstory of Timon and Pumbaa, this sequel/prequel features the original cast and music by Elton John and Tim Rice.

The Good: Timon and Pumbaa have always been my favorite Lion King characters; they were comic relief in a rather serious film. So, this direct-to-video spinoff is charming and cute; it also brings the adventure and drama of the original film.

The Bad: The commentary nature of the flick--Timon and Pumbaa watch the film with you, and intersperse their own remarks--was a bit annoying. Also, the ending was a big cash grab by Disney.

Conclusion: Me and the original Lion King have an interesting history. Like most kids of my generation, I grew up watching it on video; on the last day of eighth grade, we even watched it in Spanish! I've also watched the sequel...and now this, to complete the "trilogy". As good as it is, I can't help but think they should have stuck with one movie; this seems like a mere attempt to cash in on a recognizable brand.