Today I had the amazing opportunity to watch Disney’s THE LION KING in 4DX. Wow! This was the first time I had ever been to a 4DX movie so I was really excited to see what it was all about. If you have never been, it can be explained as a totally immersive experience. The chairs move, sound surrounds every person in the theater, there are water, wind, scent and fog effects, plus it is 3D. I guess the closest I have been is Mickey’s Philharmagic at Walt Disney World. THE LION KING had just the right amount of action with the moving seats. This “Savanna Riding” motion really moved along with the animals as they ran, flew, or even splashed around. The scenes of the hyenas chasing young Simba and Nala, the wildebeest stampede in the gorge, as well as Simba and Scar fighting for the Pride Land literally put me on the edge of my seat. There was even motion that matched the songs from the movie. The Live Action version is truly remarkable. I felt like I was watching a Disney Nature feature is was so real. The script follows very closely to the 1994 original with some fun updates. No spoilers here, but be sure to pay close attention to the banter between Timon and Pumbaa. Hilarious! The movie has an all-star cast with James Earl Jones in the role of Mufasa once again, Donald Glover and Beyoncé as Simba and Nala, Billy Eichner and Seth Roman as Timon and Pumbaa, Keegan-Michael Key as a hyena, and John Oliver as Zazu. The list could go on and on. In this Live Action version, the emotion really comes through with each character. The stampede scene is both riveting and shocking even though I knew what would happen. I think watching in a 4DX theater intensified the whole experience. THE LION KING is most definitely for the whole family whether it is the first time watching Simba’s journey or the 50th (I think I burned through our VHS tape back in the day). With temperatures climbing this summer, gather up the gang and head to the closet movie theatre to see Disney’s THE LION KING. If you are lucky enough to live near a 4DX screening, take advantage of it! It was an experience like no other.
