The Lion King 1½

this Disney animated feature isn't really a Lion King movie.it's basically the story of Timon(the Meerkat)and Pumba(the Warthog)and how they first met.it eventually shows the some of the events from the original Lion King from their point of view.it obviously condenses the events a lot,and their are actually only a few moments from The Lion King here.i thought it was an OK movie,but i found it a bit slow and i thought some scenes went on too long.the song are not as memorable.at least i didn't think so.at least the same voice actors were used as in the original.this movie is fairly short,about 70 minutes,not including end credits.as an aside,this movie was produced after Lion King II: Simba's Pride.all in all this is an entertaining movie,but it doesn't have the same impact of the original Lion King.for me,The Lion King 1.5 is a 6/10

Being a fan of the first Lion King, I was definitely looking forward to this movie, but I knew there was really no way it could be as good as the original. I know that many Disney fans are wary of the direct-to-video movies, as I have mixed feelings of them as well.

While watching The Lion King 1½, I tried to figure out what my own viewpoint was regarding this movie. Am I going to be so devout about The Lion King that I will nitpick at certain scenes, or am I just going to accept this movie as just another look at The Lion King story? Most of the time, I found myself embracing the latter.

The Lion King 1½ definitely has its cute and funny moments. Timon and Pumbaa stole the show in the first movie and definitely deserved a movie that centered around them. People just love these characters! My favorite parts of the movie include the montage of Timon & Pumbaa taking care of young Simba and the surprise ending featuring some great cameos.

I could have done without many of the bathroom jokes though, like the real reason everyone bowed to baby Simba at the beginning of Lion King 1. I guess those types of jokes are for the younger set (which after all is the target audience. I don't think many kids are really concerned about Disney's profit margin on direct-to-video movies.)

However, I will say that I was somewhat annoyed when they directly tied in scenes from the original movie to this movie. I'm just too familiar with the original that those scenes just stuck out like sore thumbs to me. Something would be different with the music or the voices that it would just distract me.

As for the music, it wasn't too bad, but don't expect any classics to come from this movie. At least LK2 had the nice ballad, "Love Will Find a Way." As for the voicework, it was well done in this movie. Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella did a great job as always, and even new cast members, the classic comedic actor Jerry Stiller and Julie Kavner (best known as Marge Simpson), did a great job also. You can even enjoy these great voice talents even more by checking out the Virtual Safari on Disc 2 of the DVD. That feature is definitely a lot of fun!!

So all in all, The Lion King 1½ isn't a perfect movie, but it's cute and entertaining. I think many Lion King fans will enjoy it and appreciate it for what it is - a fun, lighthearted look at the Lion King masterpiece from our funny friends' perspectives.

My IMDb Rating: 7/10. My Yahoo! Grade: B (Good)

My Take: A funny take on THE LION KING, posing as a sequel. Surprisingly amusing.

Surprisingly, "Lion King 1 1/2" is actually another funny straight-to-video, that's worth a theatrical treatment. I don't see why Disney released this straight to video, and release crappy movies like "Chicken Little" and "Return to Neverland" theatrically. Those movies are better off seen in the video stores (in the "new releases" area), rather than seeing their theatrical posters outside the theaters.

This one is merely a spoof of the first film (although the events in "Simba's Pride" hasn't taken place yet), on Timon (voiced by Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa's (voiced by Ernie Sabella) point of view. We get to see them make fun of the events in the first film. Original voices from the first film, like Matthew Broderick, Woopie Goldberg, Cheeche Martin and Robert Guillaume, return to their voicing roles from the first film, while Julie Kavner and Jerry Stiller give some hilarious comedy relief as Timon's mom and grumpy uncle.

So doesn't this sound fun. Maybe not now, but go watch it for yourself. The fact that it's not that serious in its plot makes it the more enjoyable. It's kinda like MST3000 with Timon and Pumbaa.

Video movie rating: ***1/2 out of 5.

Kinda dumb and kinda silly, yet 'The Lion King 1½' somehow manages to create a good film despite the disjointed nature of it.

Timon and Pumbaa are the leads here, with Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella assuring things stay amusing. If those two didn't reprise their roles then it would've been a boring mess. Most of the main characters from 'The Lion King' return at some point too, with Matthew Broderick (Simba) and Robert Guillaume (Rafiki) notably reappearing.

The plot is exceptionally fairly funny, as we get an alternate look of how the 1994 film went down. It shouldn't be enjoyable but it actually is, helped by Lane & Sabella alongside the strong animation.

Not one to be taken seriously, just one to have a laid-back time with.

Although the movie is less than 1994's The Lion King, it is very interesting. The film, which has been featured in most Disney comedies, tells a good story about Timon and Pumbaa, and the movie breaks the fourth wall. When watching The Lion King, you will wonder what was going on with Timon and Pumbaa. This is a movie that answers your inquiries