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The Lion King 1½

The Lion King 1½

Adventure · Animation · Comedy · 2004

Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog are best pals and the unsung heroes of the African savanna. This prequel to the smash Disney animated adventure takes you back -- way back -- before Simba's adventure began. You'll find out all about Timon and Pumbaa and tag along as they search for the perfect home and attempt to raise a rambunctious lion cub.

Movie details

The Lion King 1½

“You don't know the ½ of it!”

2004 Adventure · Animation · Comedy 1h 17m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog are best pals and the unsung heroes of the African savanna. This prequel to the smash Disney animated adventure takes you back -- way back -- before Simba's adventure began. You'll find out all about Timon and Pumbaa and tag along as they search for the perfect home and attempt to raise a rambunctious lion cub.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Lion King 1½?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Bradley Raymond

Written by

Tom Rogers

Nathan Lane

Nathan Lane

Timon (voice)

Ernie Sabella

Ernie Sabella

Pumbaa (voice)

Julie Kavner

Julie Kavner

Mom (voice)

Jerry Stiller

Jerry Stiller

Uncle Max (voice)

Matthew Broderick

Matthew Broderick

Simba (voice)

Robert Guillaume

Robert Guillaume

Rafiki (voice)

Moira Kelly

Moira Kelly

Nala (voice)

Court is in session

Put The Lion King 1½ on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Popcorn Loyalist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.