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Lion King II
Mar. 30th, 2021 08:45 amBecause The Lion King II was made by Disney’s second-string animators, who were mostly relegated to producing subpar sequel films (it’s surprising that Disney took so long to grasp how much easy money it could make if it made sequels that were actually good, but there you have it), it’s not technically on our list of Disney animated films. But Julie felt that I absolutely HAD to meet Kovu, Scar’s definitely-not-a-son, which the movie takes great care to establish because if Kovu was Scar’s son then he would be Simba’s daughter Kiara’s first cousin once removed, and do you want to get cousincest all up in this Disney film? DO YOU?
It’s a star-crossed lovers story that hits pretty much every beat you would expect from a star-crossed lovers sequel to The Lion King, but in a way where you’re like, “You know why star-crossed lovers stories always seem to contain that beat? It’s because that beat is so satisfying when it’s well done, and by god did they do it well here, even if it is predictable.”
Kovu apparently had something of a fandom back in the day, and I can see why Who doesn’t love a tortured bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks? Especially when he’s not actually bad, just a little growly and rough around the edges, but really he’s so innately good that he turns away from badness almost as soon as he is among the nice lions of Simba’s pride.
Kovu was raised in such deprivation that when he and Kiara are looking for pictures in the stars, Kovu (1) has never looked for pictures in the stars before (because his mother raised him for the one monomaniacal aim of avenging Scar’s death, which did not allow any room for such things as “play”), and (2) interprets a picture in the stars as depicting “two lions fighting to the death over a scrap of meat.” Then he glances over at Kiara awkwardly, like he suddenly realizes that maybe this picture reveals a little too much about his deprived childhood.
But of course Kiara, in classic Disney princess style, is a sunshine girl who moves them swiftly past any potential awkwardness. After all, they still need to have a goofy musical number (I particularly enjoyed the hippos swinging on a Newton’s cradle made of vines while Rafiki sings to Kiara and Kovu about love), get together, and reunite their sundered prides through the power of love! (All except Kovu’s mother, because it wouldn’t be a Disney movie if at least one villain didn’t fall to their death.)
The second-string animators, apparently delighted to have some decent material for once, pulled out all stops on this one. It’s not as detailed as the animation in the original Lion King, but there are some gorgeous sunsets and lovely shots of the savannah, and they clearly had a blast animating all the animals. That scene where Simba banishes Kovu from Pride Rock and all the animals on the savannah sing about “Disgraaaaace”? Classic. Glorious.
It’s a star-crossed lovers story that hits pretty much every beat you would expect from a star-crossed lovers sequel to The Lion King, but in a way where you’re like, “You know why star-crossed lovers stories always seem to contain that beat? It’s because that beat is so satisfying when it’s well done, and by god did they do it well here, even if it is predictable.”
Kovu apparently had something of a fandom back in the day, and I can see why Who doesn’t love a tortured bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks? Especially when he’s not actually bad, just a little growly and rough around the edges, but really he’s so innately good that he turns away from badness almost as soon as he is among the nice lions of Simba’s pride.
Kovu was raised in such deprivation that when he and Kiara are looking for pictures in the stars, Kovu (1) has never looked for pictures in the stars before (because his mother raised him for the one monomaniacal aim of avenging Scar’s death, which did not allow any room for such things as “play”), and (2) interprets a picture in the stars as depicting “two lions fighting to the death over a scrap of meat.” Then he glances over at Kiara awkwardly, like he suddenly realizes that maybe this picture reveals a little too much about his deprived childhood.
But of course Kiara, in classic Disney princess style, is a sunshine girl who moves them swiftly past any potential awkwardness. After all, they still need to have a goofy musical number (I particularly enjoyed the hippos swinging on a Newton’s cradle made of vines while Rafiki sings to Kiara and Kovu about love), get together, and reunite their sundered prides through the power of love! (All except Kovu’s mother, because it wouldn’t be a Disney movie if at least one villain didn’t fall to their death.)
The second-string animators, apparently delighted to have some decent material for once, pulled out all stops on this one. It’s not as detailed as the animation in the original Lion King, but there are some gorgeous sunsets and lovely shots of the savannah, and they clearly had a blast animating all the animals. That scene where Simba banishes Kovu from Pride Rock and all the animals on the savannah sing about “Disgraaaaace”? Classic. Glorious.
