This is less a sequel to The Lion King and more a rehashing. While the plot itself is unique enough and the Lion Guard doesn't feel out of place in the setting- even if it wasn't in any way hinted at before this, nearly everything else feels copied directly from the original. They even directly reference Hakunah Matata before the song it inspired. Kion's friend Bunga is not only a blatant Timon and Pumba analogue, he's their nephew (despite being a honey badger, which is questioned but not explained). Homaging a beloved precursor doesn't have to be bad- it's one of my favorite parts of Jurassic World- but this feels completely paint-by-numbers. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they had a literal checklist of Lion King elements they had to hit while writing. The one thing it should have taken from the movie but didn't was the emotional depth. Kion is around the same age Simba was at the beginning of the movie, and this only covers one day instead of a lifetime, so they don't have time for the same sort of resonance, but some of the elements presented- original or otherwise- should have had some sort of impact on the characters. That's what separates a kids movie from a family movie, and Lion Guard doesn't have much to offer adults. That said, this is the pilot for a Lion Guard series, and it does what a pilot should do. It sets up the premise and the characters, while coming across as more than exposition.
The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
(2015 TV Movie)
Trying a bit too hard to be The Lion King
22 November 2015