The Lion King 2 was a rare example of a Disney sequel that stood shoulder to shoulder with the first one so you can see why Disney would want to try again and turn the series into a trilogy (Disney do love a good trilogy). By focusing on Timon and Pumbaa, who pretty much stole the first film,all the omens seemed good for this entry.

The problem for me is that the idea of them retelling the story from Lion King 1 from their own point of view wasn't enough to sustain a film,which considering the short run length doesn't bode well. In some places it works OK, but when it starts to contradict the original it's hard to stay interesting.

The voice cast do a good job,and it's nice to see (or rather hear) that many of the originals from Lion King 1 pop up again. There isn't anything really wrong with this film, it just pales in comparison to what has gone before.

The first Disney film, released in cinemas, is of course superb, the same cannot be said for the fairly terrible straight-to-video sequel, this third instalment you could argue is more a prequel than a sequel, technically it's the second movie (hence the alternative title, Lion King 1 ½). Basically, Timon the meerkat (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa the warthog (Ernie Sabella) are in a cinema watching the original, Timon decides they should share their story, with events from the original parallel with theirs. Timon is a social outcast in his meerkat colony on the outskirts of the Pride Lands, he dreams of escaping to a better place, away from the threat of predators. One day, he fails to guard the other meerkats when spotted hyenas Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg),Banzai (Cheech Marin) and Ed (Jim Cummings) attack and almost cause the death of Uncle Max (Jerry Stiller). This is the last straw for the colony, despite the protests of his dedicated Mom (The Simpsons' Julie Kavner),Timon leaves to find a better life. Along the way, he meets Rafiki the mandrill (Robert Guillaume),who teaches him the phrase "Hakuna Matata" and advises him to "look beyond what you see". Timon takes the advice literally and observes Pride Rock in the distance, he believes this is his destination. Timon wanders into some long grass, and encounters warthog Pumbaa for the first time, they quickly form a bond and journey together. The pair arrive at Pride Rock during the presentation of Simba to the gathering of animals. As they pass through the crowd of onlookers, Pumbaa breaks wind, causing animals around him to faint and prompting animals further away to bow to Simba. Following this, Timon and Pumbaa make multiple attempts to set up homes throughout the Pride Lands, but wind up being forced away every time after they witness several events from the original film. This includes Simba singing "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", Mufasa's fight with the Hyenas, and Scar's plotting with the hyenas. Eventually, the pair are caught in the wildebeest stampede that killed Mufasa in the original film and are thrown off a waterfall. Timon is exhausted and decides to give up, until Pumbaa discovers a luxurious green jungle he tried to tell Timon about earlier. The pair finally settle there with the philosophy of "Hakuna Matata". Eventually, Timon and Pumbaa encounter Simba in a nearby desert, nearly dead. The pair rescue him and help to raise him, teaching him to forget his past and eat bugs, Simba grows up to become a carefree adult. Years later, adult Nala (Moira Kelly) appears after chasing Pumbaa and reunites with adult Simba (Matthew Broderick). Timon and Pumbaa attempt to sabotage their romantic encounters, but continuously fail. Simba disappears after arguing with Nala, and Timon and Pumbaa see the strange clouds forming in the sky from a distance, the ghost of Mufasa. Nala explains to them that Simba returned home and is going to challenge his uncle Scar, and that they need to help. Timon is hurt that Simba abandoned them, Pumbaa refuses to stay and follows Simba and Nala. Timon attempts to indulge in jungle luxuries alone, but the loneliness overtakes him. Rafiki appears again and indirectly helps Timon realise he should be with the ones he loves, so he leaves. Timon reconciles with Pumbaa before they continue to journey to Pride Rock. After helping Simba and Nala distract the hyenas, Timon and Pumbaa run into Mom and Uncle Max, who came looking for Timon. Timon proposes that they all help Simba by getting rid of the hyenas. Whilst Simba battles Scar, the meerkats dig tunnels beneath the hyenas to disturb the ground beneath them, while Timon and Pumbaa use various tactics to distract them, until they are driven away and turn against Scar. Simba accepts his place as king of the Pride Lands, thanking Timon and Pumbaa for helping him. Timon takes Ma, Uncle Max, and the meerkat colony to live in the predator-free jungle, and he is praised as their hero. Timon finishes his backstory, he and Pumbaa are then joined in the cinema by Mom, Uncle Max, Simba, Rafiki, and eventually many other Disney characters to watch the movie all over again. Also starring Edward Hibbert as Zazu the red-billed hornbill, Matt Weinberg as Young Simba, Corey Burton as Grumpy, Bill Farmer as Goofy, Carolyn Gardner as Snow White, Chris Sanders as Stitch, Blayne Weaver as Peter Pan, Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck, Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse, and Frank Welker as various supporting voices. Lane and Sabella remain funny and likeable as the popular duo, it is amusing to see how they came to be friends, and how they fitted into the background of the original film, the animation is pretty good, the backstory element does almost work, although if you know the original movie as well as I do there are tiny bits that don't quite fit, but there is some fun to be had, an alright animated comedy adventure. Okay!

I am 18, and I absolutely adore the first Lion King film. It is gorgeously animated, has terrific music, likable characters and makes me laugh and cry, in short, like Beauty and the Beast and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs The Lion King is an animated masterpiece. Judging by the fact that I liked Simbas's Pride, not loved, just liked, I watched The Lion King 1.5. It is not a bad sequel at all, like Simbas's Pride it is not as good as the original, but I think like the second it is one of the better sequels. It does have its problems, it is too short(then again this is a problem most of the sequels have),some of the story, the Lion King but in Timon and Pumbaa's perspective is predictable but it is a great concept and there are a few parts such as the ending that felt a tad rushed. However, it is vibrantly animated, the music is very good, there are some surprisingly funny jokes(like Timon and Pumbaa's stalling during the climax),the dialogue is well written and hilarious and the voice acting is very well done. Overall, a fun, cute and entertaining, if inferior, sequel. 7/10 Bethany Cox