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List Price: $29.99 | | Label: Walt Disney Video
Salesrank: 2620
Released: August 31, 2004 |
| Our Price: $29.55 |
| Used Price: $11.00 |
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MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
All the power and majesty of THE LION KING return in this final volume of THE LION KING trilogy! This Special Edition features an all-new vibrant picture presentation from the digital master. Meet Kiara, Simba's headstrong daughter and heir to the Pride Lands. While on the prowl for adventure, she encounters the mischievous Kovu, a young member of the banished Outland Pride chosen to walk in Scar's paw prints. As they seek their proper places in the "Circle Of Life," Kiara and Kovu find that they may be the only hope for healing the rift between their prides! THE LION KING 2: SIMBA'S PRIDE Special Edition includes original cast members, stunning Disney animation, and six spectacular songs. Complete your family's LION KING collection with this enchanting film!
Description of The Lion King 2 - Simba's Pride (2-Disc Special Edition):
This two-disc presentation of the popular sequel delivers a better sounding DVD and looks a bit better than the initial release (although the original was pretty sharp). There are no changes in the film except a pop-up viewing mode with facts--fun and otherwise--about the film. The second disc is for the kids, including games, a cute documentary on African animals, and another installment of the Virtual Safari. This "ride" puts you in a jeep with Timon and Pumbaa as they race the jungle and pride lands bumping into various obstacles, all in booming Dolby 5.1 sound. The best extra is the new short "One by One" a modern day tale of Africa and the finest short from the studio since 2000's "John Henry." --Doug Thomas
The Lion King 2 - Simba's Pride (2-Disc Special Edition) Reviews:
The Lion King 2 
2008-09-16 - I can't so nothing bad about this dvd movie. You kept your case and disks in perfect condition that is the way I like keeping mines. Yes I am very happy and would order from this place again.
Better than average Disney sequel 
2008-08-14 - The Lion King is one of the greatest animated films ever to grace the silver screen. In my opinion, it battles it out for the top spot with Beauty and the Beast and maybe Toy Story. Everything about it was beautifully created-- the animation (who could ever forget the famous stampede), the music (Circle of Life, Be Prepared, Can you feel the love tonight are among Disney's best), the story (taking Hamlet to the animal kingdom). There was a brilliant villain in Scar voiced magnificently by Jeremy Irons, a complicated hero in Simba and a strong supporting cast of comedic roles. And it ended perfectly-- there was no need for a sequel because the audience is left with the sense that Simba has finally overcome his guilt about his father and will do just fine in his rightful throne. It's such a masterpiece than a direct-to-video sequel could NEVER do the original any justice. Of course, that is always true with Disney.
In this case, Lion King II, while infinitely better than The Little Mermaid or Pocahontas sequels, still really serves no purpose other than to entertain young children. The original became such an enormous success and probably was the peak of the Disney Renaissance because it appealed to everyone. First and foremost, it was a beautifully made and somewhat dark Shakespearean tale that just happened to be a cartoon. I mean, no one ever forgets Mufasa's death scene whether they were 6 or 30 when they first saw it. The sequel, while it has some moments of fun, cannot hold a candle when compared to the grand nature of the original. Yet it takes on yet another serious Shakespeare tale (R&J that is), which they should not have done unless they were going to put in more effort and make it a theatrical release. The main characters, Kovu and Kiara, are nowhere near as developed or engaging as the young Simba and Nala. The villain has nowhere near the complexity and motives of the brilliant Scar. Even the adult Simba in this sequel is a shadow of his original self and as a father figure, is no Mufasa either.
In my opinion, a better sequel might have dealt more with Simba taking on his father's position. After all, in the original, it was not a fairy-tale romance that captured people's interests but the more serious father-son dynamic between Simba and Mufasa. And in this sequel, the most interesting moments involve Simba trying to live up to his idolized father and still traumatized by his uncle's deception.
The music is severely lacking as well. There is no Circle of Life or Be Prepared or even Hakuna Matata. The original had a sensational Hans Zimmer score that was sorely missed here and replaced by fairly pedestrian tunes. My problem with this movie is that it shouldn't have been made, which can be said of most Disney sequels except maybe Aladdin and the King of Thieves that was surprising comedic gem.
Overall, not a terrible direct-to-video sequel but one that really didn't need to be made.
Excellent sequel
2008-08-04 - One of the few sequels that didn't kill the original disney movie. Here, like in the original Lion King shakespeare elements are used. This time Romeo and Juliet instead of Hamlet.
The music was excellent and memorable. Emotional and not the crappy canned music in so many other sequels.
A movie that I would still watch again and again.
A rare Disney sequal 
2008-07-30 - The term "Disney sequal" brings up thoughts of butchering and ruining Disney classics. Strangely enough this was rather enjoyable. Unlike most other sequals this wasn't made too much longer after the first so retains most of the original voices. The plot is also somewhat related to the first--The Lion King being loosely based on Hamlet and this one being loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. This is definately worth watching, but the songs did leave something to be desired. There were also a few holes in the plot, but in terms of Disney sequals this is def in the top five.
LION KING 11
2008-04-19 - MY GRANDDAUGHTER THOUGHT I HAD THIS MOVIE. I DID BUT GAVE IT TO HER AND SHE WORE IT OUT. I LOOKED FOR ANOTHER AND FOUND IT ON AMAZON . IT IS A GREAT FAMILY MOVIE. IT TAKES UP FROM LION KING I. THE MUSIC WAS VERY GOOD. MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND I SAT DOWN AND WATCHED IT FROM START TO FINISH. SHE IS 10 AND I AM 61, SO YOU SEE IT IS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
