I remember
a similar thread like this from a few years back. Based on the review description of that poll, I gave it an 8. However, since this poll has a different description of one's overall opinion, 7/10 seems to best match my opinion, although my praise and criticism of it has remained the same since then.
Story: The writing is the biggest problem of the movie. The backstory of Zira and the Outsiders concerning their origins and whereabouts during the battle of Pride Rock is left unexplained, and probably intentionally to make Zira more mysterious and borderline insane. Her repetition of claiming Kovu is Scar's chosen heir may cast some doubt since Kovu and Kiara are about the same age and size, but it is hinted that Scar and Zira have some history, but because of story changes mid-way through production, it was not a romantic one.
Adapting
Romeo and Juliet was probably not a wise move since it's an all-too-familiar story and invites similarities to other films that also borrow from
Romeo and Juliet. The only thing new it brings to the table is the involvement of the parents of both lovers in the storyline, as
director Darrell Rooney explained to the Los Angeles Times. However, the first movie only adapted basic ideas from
Hamlet, but the overall story (and its structure) is entirely different. Here, the second half of
Simba's Pride directly follows the story structure of the play where the resolution of the conflict feels contrived (it's also the same exact conflict resolution in
Pocahontas) where years of conflict is pushed aside by a multicultural message, and a predictable happy ending.
Nevertheless, I admire the dramatic and serious aspects of the storytelling that remains faithful to the original. Kovu's character arc is the most interesting one, but he changes too fast. Nuka's arc is also well-told while the character himself is more comedic, and his last words are haunting words a parent should never hear.
Music: The African feel of the songs is left intact with an abridged version of "He Lives with You" used for the opening. "We are One" and "One of Us" are also my favorites, and feel like true additions to the catalogue. "My Lullably" has wickedly evil lyrics for charm while "Love Will Find A Way" has overtly schmaltzy lyrics, but I think it's a cute song. "Upendi" is by far the most cringe-worthy song of the entire film. Nick Glennie-Smith (who worked on the first film's music) inherits Hans Zimmer's mantle as score composer, and while there is a recurring leitmotif action scene music track, the score itself is unmemorable.
Animation: While it is better-produced than
The Return of Jafar and
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, the animation lacks the sparkle and wonder of the African savanna grassland. The character animation is overall decent, although the Blu-Ray transfer has shown some of the weaker qualities including the crude, rushed drawings of the background Outsider lionesses. The character designs and post-production digital color scheme of Simba and Nala make the characters look substantially different from how they appeared in the first film.