by Patrice Downing, Contributing Writer
In a production era filled with GPS-tagged animals, trail cameras, autonomous AI aerial filming, and the endless ability to digitally retouch footage, you may be wondering what could possibly make Lion stand out from the pack. How about the fact that it used absolutely none of those automated shortcut tools in its creation? That’s right, this in-depth look at the first four years of cub Kio’s life was filmed entirely by human hands, compiling over 1500 days of footage. Aspects that tend to be cleaned up in the standard wildlife film edits remain intact, engrossing viewers in the feel of life on the savannah plains.
Jon Favreau’s first foray into the documentary genre should come as no surprise given his previous experiences directing live action remakes of The Lion King (2019) and The Jungle Book (2016). Favreau was clearly inspired by his time researching and watching the works of fellow Lion executive producer Michael Gunton. Gunton’s extensive catalog of BBC wildlife documentaries influenced the way Favreau and crew edited down years’ worth of footage into a concise and compelling tale of one of the largest African lion prides living on the savannah of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. However, his choice to reject popular modern technology in favor of a human-driven predominately analog creation is what makes this series stand out. In an interview with Paul Schrodt of National Geographic, Favreau says:
“As we entered into this project, generative AI came online, and there’s a tremendous influx of content that you don’t know whether it’s authentic or not. The notion of going out into the field and limiting ourselves to completely analog tools and telling an authentic story that feels real, I find that engaging right now, in contrast to how much out there is fabricated.”
I can’t agree more. The decision to send filmmakers and drone pilots out into the field with guides day after day, season after season over several years, never knowing if they would even be able to locate their subjects, was bold and pays off in a big way. I cannot imagine the level of anxiety the production team must have felt after the rainy season each year, going out onto the plains that first morning, wondering if they were even going to find the pride, let alone who had survived. On the other hand, as time went on, the mounting similarities between Kio and The Lion King’s Simba must have made them absolutely giddy with glee. Documentaries, much like reality TV, lend themselves to some creative story telling through editing. Attempting to sculpt the footage into an engaging, finished work that hooks viewers, can only go so far. The most amazing aspect of Lion is the parallels of tiny little Kio with his animated counterpart. I don’t want to spoil any of the specific events covered in the series, but I will share that he gets caught up in a stampede as a young cub and later fights an established male lion that bears a remarkable resemblance to Scar.
Finally, I’d be remiss if I neglected to mention another pretty big Lion King link, the perfectly punctuating Hans Zimmer score. Having already worked on the dramatic musical arrangements on all things The Lion King from the 1994 animated classic, across video games, specials, and of course the live action endeavor (alongside Favreau), Zimmer was the obvious choice to accentuate Kio’s tale. While O.J. Lynch’s narration carries viewers through the peppy cub’s journey to adulthood, it’s Zimmer’s score that accents the adventure to forge an emotional connection.
If you enjoy wildlife documentaries, checking Lion out is a no-brainer, but even if they aren’t your genre of choice this series is still worth a watch. It’s not overly visually graphic, which is a plus for most viewers, and its Lion King adjacent storyline makes it more engaging than the average wildlife doc. I’m actually looking forward to revisiting all four episodes again in the future, as I think being armed with knowledge of the production process will add yet another layer of interest to a repeat viewing.
Rating: High Side of Like It
LION is currently streaming on Disney+.
You can read more from Patrice Downing, and follow her on Serializd and Letterboxd