Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
The circle of life continues for Simba, now fully grown and in his rightful place as the king of Pride Rock. Simba and Nala have given birth to a daughter, Kiara who's as rebellious as her father was. But Kiara drives her parents to distraction when she catches the eye of Kovu, the son of the evil lioness, Zira. Will Kovu steal Kiara's heart?
A direct-to-video Romeo and Juliet retelling set in the Lion King universe, Simba's Pride is competently assembled but thoroughly formulaic. The plot beats are predictable and the story borrows heavily from both its predecessor and Shakespeare without adding much of its own. Voice acting is serviceable but lacks the gravitas and charm of the original cast. The animation is noticeably lower quality, typical of Disney's mid-90s direct-to-video output. Novelty is very low — it is a by-the-numbers sequel recycling themes, character archetypes, and even musical structure from the original. The ending, however, provides a reasonably satisfying emotional resolution to the inter-pride conflict, landing with more impact than the rest of the film warrants.