Watch The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride is a 1998 animated musical adventure film directed by Rob LaDuca and Darrell Rooney. It is a sequel to the hugely popular 1994 Disney animated film, The Lion King. The movie takes place several years after the events of the first film and follows the story of Simba, who is now the king of the Pride Lands.

Simba has a daughter named Kiara who is adventurous and yearning to explore the world. However, Simba is very protective of Kiara, as he lost his own father to the evil Scar. Simba often stops Kiara from venturing too far out into the Pride Lands, which frustrates Kiara. One day, Kiara manages to slip away and meets a young lion named Kovu.

Kovu is the son of Scar's most loyal supporters, the Outsiders. The Outsiders were banished to the Outlands by Simba's father, Mufasa, and Scar. Scar trained Kovu to become his successor but dies before he can pass on all of his knowledge to Kovu. Kovu then grows up in the Outlands with the other Outsiders, including his mother Zira, who hated Simba with a passion and sought revenge on him for many years.

However, Kovu and Kiara become friends and vow to put their parents' past behind them. Simba welcomes Kovu to the Pride Lands and agrees to teach him the ways of the kingdom. Zira sees Kovu's friendship with Kiara as an opportunity to get back at Simba and uses him as a pawn in her plan for revenge.

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride is a touching story that explores themes of love, loyalty, and family. It deals with issues of the past, the present, and ultimately the future. The movie is beautifully animated, and the African savannah setting is breathtakingly rendered. The voice acting is excellent, with Matthew Broderick and Neve Campbell reprising their roles as Simba and Kiara.

Andy Dick, Robert Guillaume, and James Earl Jones provide great supporting voices as well. The songs are catchy and memorable, with some of them seamlessly blending English lyrics with African phrases. The new characters, particularly Kovu and Zira, are fascinating and bring a new dimension to the story.

Overall, The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride is a worthy sequel to its predecessor. It's a heartfelt and entertaining movie that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. While it may not be as groundbreaking as the first movie, it manages to capture the essence of what made The Lion King so special. It's a tribute to the everlasting power of friendship, love, and family.

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride is a 1998 kids & family movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.