The Lion King 1 1/2

Parents say
Based on 14 reviews
Kids say
Based on 26 reviews
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this movie has a surprising amount of potty humor--everything from Pumbaa's gas problem to jokes about belching, nose-picking and toilet-training. Some kids may get upset that Timon leaves his family and heads off alone in search of happiness and that Pumbaa does not have any family at all. The hyenas may frighten some children--they are constantly trying to kill the meerkats. Also, at one point Timon's mom says of the hyenas "When they die, they become the grass." This comment may need to be explained.
Community Reviews
'Lion King' Spinoff Sequel is OK...But Nothing More
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Ages 0+ just like The Lion Guard
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What's the Story?
THE LION KING 1 1/2 shows the events that occurred during The Lion King through the eyes of Timon the meerkat (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa the warthog (Ernie Sabella). While these two were pretty much relegated to minor comic sidekick roles in the original movie, here they're the stars of the show.
Is It Any Good?
For a direct-to-video feature, the animation is impressive, although the new songs are forgettable (mostly we hear snippets of songs from the original movie). The idea of seeing events from another perspective is an entertaining one for kids old enough to understand the concept--young grade schoolers are sure to get a kick out of the scene where King Mufasa presents his young son Simba to the animal kingdom (in the original movie this is a moving scene in which the animals bow down in reverence; here we learn they are really bowing down because the stench of Pumbaa's gas is so pungent). However, Timon and Pumbaa watch the events from a movie theater. The flow of the story is interrupted so they can make snarky comments or jokes, which is disruptive and likely to annoy adults. Even kids are likely to get frustrated when the action is literally stopped for a minute so that Pumbaa can take a bathroom break and the audience is left to look at Timon staring at a blank screen.
Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Ernie Sabella and the original voice cast are all back, and they manage to make their characters interesting. But parents may be disappointed by the surprising amount of potty humor here--it's too bad that the writers thought lowbrow humor was the only way to engage kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Timon and Pumbaa's version of events is different from the ones presented in the original movie. Is one version the "right" one? For kids who have not seen the original, you might ask them what Timon eventually learns about friendship.
Movie Details
- In theaters: February 10, 2004
- On DVD or streaming: February 10, 2004
- Cast: Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg
- Director: Bradley Raymond
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Friendship, Music and Sing-Along, Wild Animals
- Run time: 77 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- MPAA explanation: all audiences
- Last updated: August 19, 2022
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