But one area that has received near unanimous praise is the voice acting in the movie. The remake attracted high profile talent like Beyonce, Donald Glover, John Oliver and Seth Rogen and even saw James Earl Jones reprising his iconic role as Lion dad, Mufasa.
So what are the critics saying about The Lion King?
indieWire's senior movie reviewer David Ehrlich did not mince words, saying he 'truly hated this movie," in a tweet that linked to his review.
In a 2/4 review score the Associated Press' reviewer said, "The Lion King is missing something. A purpose, maybe, and a heart,".
Vulture's reviewer wrote, "It's a stirring reminder of what can be achieved with all the talent (and money) in the world, as well as a cautionary tale of what can happen when there's no vision to bind it all together.
The Hollywood Reporter was there for a good time, not a long time saying, "the original animated Lion King ran 88 minutes, while this one lasts two hours. You can feel the difference,".
The Wrap wrapped it up by saying, "Sometimes it's fascinating, frequently it's ludicrous, and sometimes - like when an incredibly realistic animal dies on-screen in front of you while its only child mourns him - it's borderline grotesque."
And Vanity Fair's reviewer was melancholic about what might have been, writing, "The Lion King, ultimately, is simply a copy—not a true remake. It's exactly the movie Disney wanted to make, which is good news for them—but a shame for us."
In a one star review Slant described it as a "tiresome retread".
But it wasn't all bad news for Simba and the gang.
CNN called it a "polished and satisfying film," Uproxx gushed that it's "a monumental achievement of technological advancement, I've never seen anything quite like it," and the Chicago Sun-Times decided that "on balance it's a solid and at times stunningly beautiful film".
But the last word in this review wrap goes to documentary filmmaker David Farrier who tweeted, "GODDAMNIT the lion king in imax was fun,".
The Lion King roars into cinemas this Wednesday.
