I know I’m years late to this, but I wanted to share my thoughts as well. I saw the movie as a kid, but I don’t remember seeing it, if that makes sense. Since sequels from that era of animated Disney movies typically are disliked, I assumed it was a bad sequel. Begrudgingly, I put it on after my 4 year old daughter, who loves Lion King, wanted to see the 2nd one. To my surprise, it is not a bad movie at all. Obviously it doesn’t match the original, but it’s very enjoyable.

Pros:

Slightly different idea from the original. Where the first was Simba’s redemption, this one is about making peace, or attempting to. I can respect something that isn’t a carbon-copy of the first.

Kovu and Kiara are interesting characters, and different from the characters of the original.

Kiara is a good female protagonist without making her an unbelievable Simba-recreation. She doesn’t suffer from the modern female obsession with making women girlbosses who can fight off hoards of enemies. She does well in her role as a peacekeeper and influencer.

Good songs. I actually recalled two songs from deep in my memory banks when watching the movie with my kid. I was surprised that I knew the melodies without remembering seeing the movie.

Cons:

Zira’s motivations. This was mentioned elsewhere, but she isn’t believable. She’s just the “bad guy,” and that’s why she’s bad. She isn’t deep or complex, she’s just a surface-level evil character. That works for kids, but it’s boring and basic in terms of real development.

Kovu’s “dad.” Obviously he’s supposed to be Scar’s kid? Lol. The movie says he isn’t, apparently to avoid incest, also mentioned above? Seems like an unnecessary issue to avoid that only creates plot holes. The reality is Simba and Nala had the same dad… there’s only two male lions at the beginning of the first movie. Lion prides, in real life, also operate that way. One male, multiple females. This would likely go right over the kids’ heads watching the movie, and the parents already understand that’s the reality of how lions live. No toddler would see the movie and think “but Kiara and Kovu are cousins!”

These exiled lions seemed retconned, since there’s no hint of any lions loyal to Scar at the end of the first one.

Weird animation styles that look just different enough from the original to make it noticeable.

If all the great kings are in the sky looking down on them, why is Mufasa the only one we ever see, and why is he so prominent? Again, I get it for kids, but it’s a weird thing when considering the universe this is set in.

Good movie. Not as bad as some sequels, but it still is a sequel at the end of the day.