The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The original VHS cover of the film
Directed by	Darrell Rooney
Produced by	Jeannine Roussel
Written by	Flip Kobler Cindy Marcus
Starring	Matthew Broderick Neve Campbell Jason Marsden Suzanne Pleshette Nathan Lane Ernie Sabella Moira Kelly Robert Guillaume Andy Dick Jennifer Lien
Music by	Nick Glennie-Smith
Editing by	Peter Lonsdale
Distributed by	Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Release date(s)	October 27, 1998
Running time	81 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	The Lion King (1994)
Followed by	The Lion King 1½ (2004)

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (later retitled The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride) is an American direct-to-video movie released by the Walt Disney Company on October 27, 1998 as a sequel to the 1994 film The Lion King since 1996's Space Jam. It was later re-released as a special edition DVD (which altered the original title's "II" into "2") on August 31, 2004. As of April 20, 2008, it is the highest grossing direct-to-video animated feature release of all time, with gross sales exceeding $300 million USD.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, Disney believed that Simba's Pride would be so popular that it shipped 15 million copies to stores for the October 27 release date.^[1] Disney sold 3.5 million copies in three days. Thirteen million copies were sold while it was still in print in the late 90s.^[2]

This film was "not rated" until the 2-disc Special Edition was released. It was then given a G rating by the MPAA.

While the original film's plot seems to have been based on the Shakespeare play Hamlet, this sequel's plot is similar to another Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet.^[3]

Plot

The film's story begins where the previous film ended: the presentation of Simba (Matthew Broderick) and Nala's (Moira Kelly) new cub Kiara (Michelle Horn). When Kiara is older, she runs from her suffocating babysitters Timon and Pumbaa (Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella) and sneaks across the borders of her father's kingdom to the 'Outlands', where she encounters an 'Outsider' cub named Kovu (Ryan O'Donohue). Kovu tells her that Outsiders don't take orders, nor need anyone to take care of them, which impresses her greatly. However, the two soon get into trouble when they find themselves in a river surrounded by crocodiles. Luckily Kovu bravely distracts them long enough for the two to escape. The cubs become friends, and Kiara attempts to initiate a game of tag, only to find Kovu has no idea how to play. In a bid to relax him she playfully growls, but when Kovu retailiates, Simba appears. Kovu's mother Zira (Suzanne Pleshette), who had been watching from the bushes, also emerges.

The two face off as Simba's pride appears, and Zira reveals that the Outsiders were exiled by Simba for remaining loyal to Scar, and that Kovu was Scar's heir to the throne - and therefore a threat to Simba. However Simba is unwilling to hurt a cub and orders the duo to leave, much to Kiara and Kovu's dismay. As they journey home, Simba scolds his daughter for breaking the rules and endangering herself, reminding her that one day she will be a queen. Kiara expresses her disinterest in the plan, but Simba says that it is a part of her, as she is a part of him. The two sing 'We Are One', but Kiara still does not understand the meaning of the phrase, though Simba says she will, in time.

Meanwhile in the Outlands, Zira's ragged and termite infested adult cub Nuka (Andy Dick) complains to his younger sister Vitani (Jennifer Lien) about Kovu being 'The Chosen One', when as the eldest the honour should be his. At that moment Zira returns and scolds her two sons. She mocks Kovu's claim that he and Kiara are friends, until she realises that, by using Kiara, Kovu can get close enough to Simba to murder him and take the throne, avenging Scar's death. She lulls Kovu to sleep by singing him 'Zira's Lullaby', expressing her desire for revenge. Alone in his tree Rafiki communicates with Mufasa's spirit, and voices his fear of Zira and mistrust of Kovu, brought up with hate in his heart. Mufasa however, has his own plan - Kovu and Kiara will be together, and unite the two prides.

Time passes and Kovu (Jason Marsden) grows into an adult, moulded by Zira into the perfect assassin, with only one goal in mind - Kill Simba. Kiara (Neve Campbell) has also grown, and, keen to go on her first solo hunt, makes Simba promise he will let her do it alone. However, Simba sends Timon and Pumbaa after her to ensure her safety. Kiara is unable to catch anything, but is furious at her father when she finds he has lied and sent the duo to track her. Nuka and Vitani watch the events before lighting a series of fires around Kiara, trapping her. She faints from the smoke as Kovu appears, as per Zira's plan, and carries her back to the Pride Lands. Though angry at first that he has interfered, Kiara soon recognises her old friend. However Simba, drawn by the sight of smoke, appears. Kovu lies and claims that he has left the Outsiders to become a rogue, and asks to join Simba's pride.

Simba is suspicious of Kovu's story and motives, however, he is forced by law to acknowledge he owes Kovu a debt that must be paid. He allows Kovu to stay at Pride Rock, but makes him sleep outside, separate from the other lionesses. Despite this, Kiara thanks him for saving her and the two arrange for him to give her a hunting lesson the next morning. That night, Simba dreams of the night his father died. In it, Scar holds Simba back toprevent him from reaching Mufasa, telling him 'trust me'. As Mufasa falls to his death, a laughing Scar morphs into Kovu, who throws Simba from the cliff.

The next morning, Kovu attempts to murder Simba as he walks alone, but is interrupted by Kiara. He attempts to teach her to hunt properly, but the two stumble on Timon and Pumbaa, whose favourite feeding ground has been taken over by birds. They enlist the help of the lions to scare the birds off, but it soon turns into a game. Kovu, who has never played or had any real fun in his life, is confused by this new 'training', but quickly starts to enjoy himself.

That night, as Kovu and Kiara stargaze, he questions whether Scar is considered one of the 'Great Kings', to which Kiara is visably startled. He confesses that although Scar was not his real father, he was still a part of who Kovu is, but fears that part may be the darkness that made Scar evil. As Kiara and Kovu embrace, Simba watches unseen, and asks the skies for guidance. Nala tells him that although Simba wants to walk the path expected of him, Kovu may not, and should be given a chance. As Simba leaves to ponder this, Kovu tries to pull away from Kiara, almost confessing his part in the plot against her father. Despite Kiara's pleas, he attempts to leave, but Rafiki stops him and sings 'Upendi'. Kovu and Kiara fall in love, and after returning home that night, Simba invites Kovu to sleep inside with the rest of the pride. Vitani watches Kovu give up a prime opportunity to murder Simba and reports back to Zira.

Kovu eventually resolves to confess his true intentions to Kiara, but before he can do so Simba takes him aside for a private conversation. The two walk into the area that had been burned in the earlier bushfire, and Simba tells Kovu the true story of Scar. Kovu finally realises he has been lied to, but Simba reassures him that, like the green roots springing through the ash, what is 'left behind can grow better than the generation before - if given the chance'. However, Zira decides to take matters into her own hands and organises an ambush. The Outlanders chase Simba into a gorge, where he begins to scale a dam wall of logs to escape. Nuka, in an attempt to prove himself, tries to follow, but slips and is crushed. Kovu, who had watched the scene from above, tries to dig him out, but is shoved rougly aside by his mother. Zira lifts up a log to see her eldest son barely alive. She tenderly cradles his face as he apolosises for failing her before dying. Zira blames Nuka's death on Kovu and slashes him across the face, scarring Kovu in an identical manner to Scar. Kovu defies his mother for the first time and runs back to the Pride Lands. Zira tells the other Outlanders that Simba has turned Kovu against them and declares war.

Simba meanwhile, has escaped but is badly injured. Luckily, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa find him and take him back to Pride Rock. Kiara refuses to believe that Kovu could be behind the attack, but she is the only one. The other animals in the Pride Lands gather as Kovu returns and begs forgiveness. Simba refuses and exiles him, and the other animals drive him out ('Not One of Us'). Kiara, distraught, begs her father to be lenient, but he coldly replies that she will require an escort in the future, and that Kovu only pretended to love her to get to him. Kiara, confinded to Pride Rock, breaks out and goes searching for Kovu ('Love Will Find A Way'), noticing that her reflection only shows half of her face. As she is about to give up, Kovu appears and the two are reunited. In the water, their reflections are combined and Kovu comments that they 'are one'. Kiara realises they have to go back and stop the fighting, telling a dismayed Kovu that if they run away, the two prides will be divided forever.

Meanwhile, the Outlanders march on the Pride Lands. Simba leads his lionesses to meet them, and the two clans fight. The Outlanders gain the upper hand, and Zira steps in to finish Simba off herself. However, before the two can strike, Kovu and Kiara leap in between them. Kiara pleads with her father to stop the feud and tells him that a wise king once told her 'we are one', and that there is no 'they' or 'us', but 'they are us'. Looking around, Simba realises there is no difference between the two prides. Zira orders Vitani to attack, but she refuses, to which Zira furiously replies that she will die along with the Pridelanders. In disgust, the other Outsiders change sides. While Simba is momentarily distracted by the sound of the river dam cracking, Zira tries to attack, but Kiara interferes, sending them both over the cliff. Kiara lands on a jutting rock but Zira continues to slide down towards the raging river. Kiara extends her paw to try and pull Zira up, but the bitter lioness, like Scar, is unable to let go off her hate, and falls to her death. Kiara and Simba climb back up the cliff, where she is cheered by both sides for her bravery. Simba announces he was wrong about Kovu and invites the Outsiders back 'home'. All the animals in the kingdom gather as Simba, Nala, Kovu and Kiara roar proudly on top of Pride Rock.

Characters

Main article: List of The Lion King II characters

• Simba, voiced by Matthew Broderick, is the reigning king of the Pride Lands and Kiara's father. He is highly concerned for his daughter's welfare to the point of being highly overprotective. His singing voice is provided by Cam Clarke.
• Kiara, voiced by Michelle Horn as a cub and Neve Campbell as an adult, is princess of the Pride Lands and Simba and Nala's daughter. Headstrong and determined, she often ignores her father's advice. Kiara is a very fiesty as a lion cub and an adult. As a child, she evades her babysitters and becomes friends with future rival, Kovu. The two meet later, when they are grown, and fall in love despite their families' hatred. Her singing voice is Liz Callaway.
• Kovu, voiced by Ryan O'Donohue as a cub and Jason Marsden as an adult, is Zira's son and the lion chosen by Scar to be king after Scar's death, but after Scar is killed in the first movie Zira trains him to avenge Scar's death as his son and take back the throne of the Pride Lands. Kovu disobeys his family to follow his heart and joins Simba's pride. His singing voice is provided by Gene Miller (as a cub) and Kenny Lattimore (as an adult).
• Zira, voiced by Suzanne Pleshette, is the antagonist of the film. Both she and a small pride of lionesses were exiled by Simba as they still followed Scar. Her loyalty being the fiercest to Scar, she trains Kovu in the hope that he will one day take back the throne from Simba.
• Timon and Pumbaa, voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella respectively, are Simba's best friends. They serve as babysitters for Kiara.
• Nala, voiced by Moira Kelly, is the queen of the Pride Lands as Simba's mate and is the mother of Kiara.
• Rafiki, voiced by Robert Guillaume, is the wise shaman mandrill of the Pride Lands. He attempts to rekindle Kovu and Kiara's love after instructions from Mufasa.
• Nuka, voiced by Andy Dick, is Zira and Scar's somewhat neurotic son. He feels wholly inadequate compared to Kovu and feels that he should be "the chosen one," since, unlike Kovu, he's "actually Scar's son."
• Vitani, voiced by Lacey Chabert as a cub and Jennifer Lien as an adult, is Zira's daughter. There is debate on whether she is Scar's birth daughter or merely adopted like Kovu.
• Zazu, voiced by Edward Hibbert, is the king's advisor and majordomo.
• Mufasa, voiced by James Earl Jones, is Simba's father who was killed by Scar in the first film. However, he still appears in the film as a ghost in the sky and in Simba's nightmare. In Simba's nightmare Mufasa slipped while Simba tries to help him. He also communicates non-verbally with his old friend, Rafiki.

Home video

Screenshots showing the differences between the two DVD releases. Top: Original limited issue release. Bottom: Special Edition release.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was first released on VHS in the United States on October 27, 1998. It was first released on DVD as a limited issue on November 23, 1999 and placed into moratorium on January 19, 2000. It was not released again on DVD until August 31, 2004, where it was a 2-disc special edition. It went into moratorium in January 2005.

Differences between DVD releases

On its initial release, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released in 1:33:1. For the special edition, this was changed to 1:66:1. Another major change to the special edition release was the quality of the image. It was lightened considerably and colors appeared brighter and slightly less saturated. Also, a small change in animation was present. As Kovu attempts to distract the crocodiles attacking both him and Kiara, he falls into the water and submerges a short time later. In the original release of the film, he yells open-mouthed as a crocodile swims towards him. In the special edition, he does not open his mouth as wide and turns his head sharply to face Kiara.^[4]

Music

Songs

• "He Lives in You" is an original song by Lebo M and his African choir. This song represents Kiara's birth. It is also the equivalent of "Circle of Life" It also can be taken as a reference to Rafiki's words about Mufasa "You see he lives in you." Also appears in the Broadway version of the first film.
• "We Are One" Following Kiara's encounter with Kovu and the Outsiders, which puts herself in danger, Simba explains how important she is to the pride. The musical equivalent to the first films talk about the Great Kings of the Past with Mufasa and Simba.
• "My Lullaby" Zira's lullaby to Kovu, which outlines her plot for him to kill Simba and how proud it would make her. The equivalent to "Be Prepared", as the song's ending of Zira towering over the Outlanders mirrors Scar towering over the hyenas at the end of "Be Prepared" and her treatment of Nuka during the song resembles Scar's abuse of Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.
• "Upendi" (Swahili for "love") Rafiki's song to Kiara and Kovu about love and happiness. Sung by Rafiki and his safari friends. Also the equivalent to "Hakuna Matata," from the first film.
• "One of Us" Sung following Kovu being permanently banished by Simba for supposed betrayal in an attempt to kill him. This was the first time the animals outside of the main characters and the lions in both movies have been seen talking. Only song to not have an equivalent to the first film.
• "Love Will Find a Way" Kiara and Kovu's first encounter following Kovu's banishment, where they both realize that they are in love with each other. Guest starring Kenny Lattimore as Kovu and Heather Headley as Kiara. Similar to "Can You Feel the Love Tonight".

The CD cover for The Lion King.

The CD cover for the "the lion king soundtrack".

Return to Pride Rock

An audio CD entitled Return to Pride Rock: Songs Inspired by Disney's The Lion King II: Simba's Pride was released on September 8, 1998. Although not promoted as a soundtrack to the film, it contained all the songs from the film and some additional songs inspired by it by Lebo M. Tina Turner recorded a version of "He Lives in You" for the film.

Track listing

• 1. He Lives in You
• 2. We Are One
• 3. Upendi sample (help·info)
• 4. One of Us
• 5. My Lullaby
• 6. Love Will Find a Way
• 7. We Are One sample (help·info)
• 8. She Believes in You
• 9. Song for the Children
• 10. I Want to See the Moon
• 11. The Lion Sleeps Tonight
• 12. Love Will Find a Way (End Title)

The Lion King soundtrack

On August 31, 2004, Disney released an "enhanced soundtrack" to coincide with the release of the film's 2-Disc Special Edition DVD. However, the CD only contains the songs featured in the film, without any of the inspired songs in The Lion King.

References

• "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride" by Scott Chitwood, "ComingSoon.net," n.d., retrieved August 27, 2006.
• "Second Tramp cruises past Mermaid sequel" by Chris Gennusa, "Video Business Online", March 6, 2001, retrieved August 26, 2006.
• "Lion King II: Simba's Pride" "Lion King II: Simba's Pride" by Bhob Stewart, "All Movie Guide", retrieved August 26, 2006.
• "Movie Details" Lion King II: Simba's Pride by Bhob Stewart, "The New York Times", retrieved August 25, 2006.

External links

• The Lion King II: Simba's Pride at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• The Lion King II: Simba's Pride at the Internet Movie Database

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