Hakuna Matata. It means no worries for the rest of your days! Unless you’re trying to decide whether or not to see the new 2019 The Lion King movie. Disney’s latest remake has a star-studded cast including Seth Rogen as Pumbaa, Beyonce as Nala, Keegan-Michael Key as Kamari, and even Chance the Rapper as Bush Baby!

This remake has sparked major controversies. Some loved it while others just didn’t like it! I liked the movie, didn’t love it, but I definitely didn’t hate it. Personally, I would say it is worth seeing it because it is such a toss-up on if the changes will be something you like.

For me, a significant downside for the 2019 Lion King was how much was missing from the original 1994 version. This may be because I grew up with it, but this is a common theme in those who didn’t like the remake. There were scenes taken out and just fillers put in which in all made the movie fall flat in some ways. The new movie missed scenes such as the well-known phrase “Call me Mister Pig” and even left out the “Bacon- yup yup yup” song. A lot of Rafiki’s great lines were cut as well! Even the comical scene where a rhino sat on Zazu.

Although the new movie did cut quite a few things, and some new scenes missed the mark, some of the new scenes did make the movie better. They added new friends, songs, line, and a ton of humor- as well as sadness. But, a big thing that the new Lion King brought to the table is their attention to detail. All of the animals looked so real! Every little hair, speck of dust, and fine line was taken into account. This was a big positive all around.

This movie was definitely a unique one that should be watched and examined. The pros most definitely outweigh the cons. Some do suggest just waiting for the Blue-Ray/streaming to come out, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a night out to enjoy this classic.

Check your local listings for showtimes.