Psycho's Movie Reviews #419: The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998)

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video romantic musical drama film. It is the sequel to Disney's 1994 animated feature film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the second instalment in The Lion King trilogy. According to director Darrell Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet.

Produced by Walt Disney Video Premiere and animated by Walt Disney Animation Australia and released on October 27, 1998, the film centres on Simba and Nala's daughter Kiara, who falls in love with Kovu, a male rogue lion from a banished pride that was once loyal to Simba's evil uncle, Scar. Separated by Simba's prejudice against the banished pride and a vindictive plot planned by Kovu's mother Zira, Kiara and Kovu struggle to unite their estranged prides and be together.

Most of the original cast returned to their roles from the first film with a few exceptions. Rowan Atkinson, who voiced Zazu in the first film, was replaced by Edward Hibbert for both this film and The Lion King 1½. Jeremy Irons, who voiced Scar in the first film, was replaced by Jim Cummings, who briefly provided his singing voice in the first film. The film received mostly positive reviews, with many critics deeming it as one of Disney's better direct-to-video sequels.

Plot

In the Pride Lands of Africa, King Simba and Queen Nala's daughter, Kiara, becomes annoyed with her father's overprotective parenting. Simba assigns his childhood friends meerkat Timon and warthog Pumbaa to follow her. After entering the forbidden "Outlands", Kiara meets a young cub, Kovu, and they are attacked by crocodiles. They escape using teamwork and Kiara even saves Kovu at one point. When Kovu retaliates to Kiara's playing, Simba confronts the young cub just as he is confronted by Zira, Kovu's mother and the Outsiders' leader. Zira reminds Simba of how he exiled her and the other Outsiders, and she reveals that Kovu was to be the successor of Simba's deceased uncle and nemesis Scar.

After returning to the Pride Lands, Nala and the rest of the pride head back to Pride Rock while Simba lectures Kiara about the danger posed by the Outsiders. He then tells her that they are a part of each other. In the Outlands, Zira reminds Kovu that Simba killed Scar and exiled everyone who respected him. Kovu explains that he does not think it is so bad to have Kiara as a friend, and Zira realizes that she can use Kovu's friendship with Kiara to seek revenge on Simba.

Several years later, Kiara, now a young adult, begins her first solo hunt. Simba has Timon and Pumbaa follow her in secret, causing her to hunt away from the Pride Lands. As part of Zira's plan, Kovu's siblings Nuka and Vitani trap Kiara in a fire, allowing Kovu to rescue her. Simba is forced to accept Kovu's place since he rescued Kiara. Later that night, Simba has a nightmare about attempting to save his father, Mufasa, from falling into the wildebeest stampede but is stopped by Scar who then morphs into Kovu and sends Simba to his death.

Kovu contemplates attacking Simba, but he is interrupted by Kiara and starts spending more time with her. Kovu becomes conflicted between his mission and his feelings for Kiara until Rafiki, a mandrill who serves as shaman and advisor, leads them to the jungle, where he introduces them to "upendi" (an erroneous form of upendo, which means "love" in Swahili), helping the two lions fall in love. That night, Simba allows Kovu to sleep inside Pride Rock with the rest of the pride after being encouraged by Nala to give Kovu a chance. Upon learning of Kovu's failure to kill Simba, Zira sets a trap for them.

The next day, Kovu once again attempts to explain his mission to Kiara, but Simba takes him around the Pride Lands and tells him Scar's story. The Outsiders then attack Simba, resulting in Nuka's death and Simba's escape. In the aftermath, Zira scratches Kovu, causing him to turn on her. Returning to Pride Rock, Kovu pleads Simba for forgiveness but is exiled. Kiara makes Simba realize he is acting irrationally, and flees to find Kovu. The two lions later find each other and profess their love. Realizing that they must reunite the two prides, Kiara and Kovu return to the Pride Lands and convince them to stop fighting. Zira, however, attempts to kill Simba, but Kiara intervenes and Zira falls to her death.

With his enemy gone, Simba accepts the Outsiders back into the Pride Lands, apologizes to Kovu for his mistake, then appoints Kovu and Kiara as his successors.

Production

In May 1994, discussion had begun about the possibility of a direct-to-video sequel to The Lion King before the first film had even hit theaters. In January 1995, it was reported that a Lion King sequel was to be released "in the next twelve months". However, it was delayed, and then it was reported in May 1996 that it would be released in early 1997. By 1996, Darrell Rooney had signed on to direct the film while Jeannine Roussel would serve as producer.

In April 1996, Jane Leeves of Frasier fame had been cast as Binti, who was to be Zazu's girlfriend, but the character was ultimately dropped. In August 1996, Cheech Marin reported that he would reprise his role as Banzai the hyena from the first film, but the character was ultimately cut from the sequel. In December 1996, Matthew Broderick was confirmed to be returning as Simba while his wife, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Jennifer Aniston were in talks to voice Aisha, Simba's daughter. Andy Dick was also confirmed to have signed on to voice Nunka, the young villain-in-training-turned hero, who attempts to romance Aisha. Ultimately, the character was renamed Kiara (after it was discovered that Aisha was the name of a female Power Ranger), and voiced by Neve Campbell, from the Scream film series. Nunka was renamed Kovu, and voiced by Jason Marsden.[10] Then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner urged for Kovu's relationship to Scar to be changed during production as being Scar's son would make him Kiara's first cousin once-removed.

According to Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet. "It's the biggest love story we have," he explained. "The difference is that you understand the position of the parents in this film in a way you never did in the Shakespeare play." Because none of the original animators were involved in the production, the majority of the animation was done by Walt Disney Television Animation's studio in Sydney, Australia. However, all storyboarding and pre-production work was done at the Feature Animation studio in Burbank, California. The additional animation was by Disney's Canadian animation studio and Toon City in Manila, Philippines. By March 1998, Disney confirmed the sequel would be released on October 27, 1998.

Release/Reception/Box Office

Coincided with its direct-to-video release, Simba's Pride was accompanied with a promotional campaign, which included tie-ins with McDonald's, Mattel, and Lever 2000. Unlike the North American release, Simba's Pride was theatrically released in European and Latin American countries in spring 1999.

The film was first released on VHS in the United States on October 27, 1998 and on DVD as a limited issue on November 23, 1999. The DVD release featured the film in a letterboxed 1.66:1 aspect ratio, the trailer for the movie, and a music video of "Love Will Find A Way" performed by Heather Headley and Kenny Lattimore. In 1998, Disney believed that The Lion King II: Simba's Pride would be so popular that it shipped 13 million copies to stores for the October 27 release date. In March 2001, it was reported that in its first three days, 3.5 million VHS copies were sold, and ultimately about thirteen million copies were sold. In September 2001, it was reported that Simba's Pride had sold more than 15 million copies. Overall, consumer spending on The Lion King II: Simba's Pride accumulated about $300 million — roughly the same figure of its predecessor's theatrical release at that time, and continues to be one of the top-selling direct-to-video releases of all time, with $464.5 million worldwide in sales and rentals.

On August 31, 2004, the film was re-released on VHS and a 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. The DVD edition featured optional pop-up informational commentary, interactive games (the "Virtual Safari") featuring Timon, Pumbaa and Rafiki, five humorous "Find Out Why" shorts, an animated short based on Lebo M's "One By One", and a "Proud of Simba's Pride" featurette. The Special Edition version featured changes made to the film such as Kovu in the water being inexplicably re-animated as well as other alterations. A DVD boxed set of the three The Lion King films (in two-disc Special Edition formats) was released on December 6, 2004. In January 2005, the film, along with the sequels, went back into moratorium.

On October 4, 2011, Simba's Pride was included in an eight-disc box set trilogy set with the other two films. The Blu-ray edition for the film was released as a separate version on March 6, 2012. The Blu-ray edition has three different versions, a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, a 1-disc edition, and a digital download. The Blu-ray edition has also been attached with a new Timon & Pumbaa short, in which the two friends gaze at the night sky as the star constellations resemble their favourite meal, insects.

The film was re-released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on a Blu-ray combo pack and digital release along with The Lion King 1½ on August 29, 2017 — the same day as the first film's Signature Edition was released.

The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film has an approval rating of 62% based on 13 reviews with an average rating of 6/10.

Siskel & Ebert gave the film a "two-thumbs up" and said it was a "satisfactory sequel to one of the most popular films of all time, The Lion King". However, they also said it was best that it went to video, citing that the music was lacking and not remotely equal to the original's soundtrack. TV Guide gave the film 2+1⁄2 stars out of four, claiming that, despite being of slightly higher quality than Disney's previous direct-to-video animated sequels, "comes nowhere near the level of its big-screen predecessor", either musically or artistically. The review later went on to say that "Though most of the original characters and their voices are back, they all sound bored, apart from the zesty addition of Suzanne Pleshette as the scheming Zira. The overall result is OK for kids, who will enjoy the low humour provided by the comical meerkat Timon and the flatulent warthog Pumbaa, but it could have been so much better."

Writing for Variety, Joe Leydon commented in his review: "In marked contrast to most of the studio's small screen sequels to big screen animated hits, the new pic isn't merely kids' stuff. Not unlike its predecessor, Lion King II has enough across-the-board appeal to entertain viewers of all ages." Caryn James of The New York Times concluded her review with "It's the rare sequel that matches the creative flair of an original, of course. The Lion King II may be derivative, but it is also winning on its own." The parental website Screen It rated the movie 7 out of 10, claimed "...while it doesn't have the mighty roar of its predecessor, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is clearly one of the better straight to video releases ever to come out of Hollywood. Although the animation isn't quite up to par with the original, the new songs don't have that special touch that made them and The Lion King such a success, and the fact that the film suffers somewhat from a heavy dose of familiarity, this is still a pretty decent picture."

Entertainment Weekly critic Stephen Witty, who graded the sequel a C+, wrote, "Despite its drawbacks, The Lion King II could make a decent rental for undemanding under-7 fans of the original, who won't be overburdened by the psychodrama. For true believers who've already watched and rewound their copies to shreds, it might even make a good buy. And for them, hey, hakuna matata. But for the rest of us, caveat emptor might be a better motto." James Plath of Movie Metropolis gave the film 6/10, saying that, "Simply put, we've seen it all before." Felix Vasquez Jr. of Cinema Crazed derided, "the sequel is as predictable a sequel as can be. It takes from The Fox and the Hound with shades of Romeo and Juliet and side steps the interesting Simba in favour of his bland daughter Kiara, and Timon and Pumba."

My Review

So I finally decided to break down and write a review for Lion King 2. I might seem like I'm ranting but I'm just so tired of people bashing this work of creation. Lion King 2 is not bad! ITS NOT! And I guess a lot of people are saying it is because they are expecting to see Lion King all over again. Well my advice to those is to hit the replay button on LK because its not happening. Sequels are not meant to be exact replicas of their predecessors. So, those who are looking for that with this movie are going to be rudely disappointed. Having that said, I think it can be agreed that LK2 brought something a little new to the table.

So first for those people complaining about the animation, it didn't suck. Either I'm blind or you are because I see the same quality animation as the first. Now I will admit LK2 wasn't as "flashy" as the original but it's not supposed to be. Its animation is more toned and a bit darker to fit the mood of the script. We can see this by just looking at Priderock , which had been shown from the other side to convey the shadowy feelings of Simba. Well since I brought that up I guess I'll start off with him first. Simba ,of course, is a big part of the movie. He is seen struggling to deal with his lingering hatred of his uncle Scar. He holds this resentment against Kovu and the Outlanders. Kiara is the daughter of King Simba making her a princess. She is strong minded and very independent. We can see this from her desire to do things herself and staying true to her heart. Bad-boy Kovu on the other hand is a lion trained by his evil mother, Zira, to befriend Kiara so that he may overthrow Simba thus, avenging Scar.

In the end Kiara and Kovu fall in love and show others that love is the most important thing above all, no matter what you look like or come from. So the two groups put an end to their bitter feud and decide to join together . They now see that there is no difference between them because they're all lions; They are one.And so the light finally shines on the other side of Priderock. The story actually gives an eye opening lesson to people. We shouldn't judge others by their race or their background. This is still an ever so prevalent issue in our society that I wish would just disappear. Well that's the lesson I got from watching this movie. It seems though that some people forgot their "Upendi" and "Hakuna Matata" back in Neverland because they're so oblivious to the fact LK2 is a stunning movie that conveys a strong message.

This movie was fantastic! Whats not to love? The animation was on key, the plot had good substance, and the characters are lovable and totally unforgettable. What more do you people want?! Not to mention the amazing song "We Are One" which makes my eyes turn into Niagara falls every time I hear it. *Sniff Sniff* (Now I miss Mufasa)...anyway. Asides from Lion King I don't think this movie could have did any better. Kudos to you Disney! Anyone who disagrees,oh well, I guess thats just you and your narrow minded opinion. #LEH

The Lion King II - Simba's Pride is in my top ten. The story picks up at the end of The Lion King, with the birth of the new heir to the Pridelands. The baby cat is introduced to the kingdom in the same manner as Simba, with Rafiki the mandrill holding up the child atop Pride Rock for all to see. As Timon and Pumbaa admire the child, Rafiki remarks that this child is in fact a girl. And from there, the story only gets more interesting. In a tale reminiscent of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a forbidden love blossoms betwixt the young princess Kiara and the rogue Kovu, the heir to the late usurper king Scar. Banished to the Outlands by an overprotective Simba, Kovu's difficult life is overseen by his mother Zira, Scar's queen. Somehow, the young lovers must prevail against the overwhelming odds against them, and this is wherein the greatness of this movie lies. No single character is without flaw, and every aspect of the movie is rendered in shades of gray. And that is what makes it so great to me.

The movie isn't quite perfect, though. Rowan Atkinson's absence as Zazu is a minor lament, while Andy Dick's casting as Nuka, while quite effective, does leave one to wonder why Disney picked such a controversial personality for a kid friendly movie. The "Upendi" sequence is a bit long and slightly out of place, while Zira's demise seems altogether too easy.

Still, the movie stands out, especially among Disney sequels, as extremely good. Matthew Broderick's mastery of the character Simba continues unabated here, while Neve Campbell and Jason Marsden take to their characters with equal skill. The real standout among the cast is Suzanne Plechette's voicing of Zira. Her steely, cold-blooded voicing of the ruthless and calculating villain stands on equal footing with Jeremy Iron's voicing of Scar in The Lion King. One can only wonder what these two could have done if Scar and Zira had appeared together on screen. Sadly, we'll never know, as Ms. Plechette succumbed to cancer in 2008.

Visually, the film continues with the stunning animation seen in The Lion King. Both the rich Pridelands and the barren Outlands are a feast to the eyes. The contrast between the Prideland lions and the angular, almost emaciated Outland lions is striking, and well handled. The music is equally good as that of the first movie, with such standout tracks as He Lives In You (the opening song; it originally appeared on the 1995 album Rhythm Of The Pride Lands) and the chilling My Lullaby (Zira's song; much like Be Prepared, Suzanne Plechette and her fellow actors did their own singing for this song). All in all, this movie is a great deal of fun, and is a very worthy addition to one's movie library, along with the original. 9/10

{Also, I absurdly find the songs in this film more to my liking, don't get me wrong the originals are awesome, but for some reason I like these songs more}

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15JPW8fUwFs&list=PL889C29298EC76120