While audiences have taken to Disney's live-action The Lion King, critics have been far more split with many calling the film all visual with little substance. However, the animators of the animated classic are even less thrilled with the movie.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, three (out of thirteen) animators from the 1994 animated film -- David Stephan, Alexander Williams, and Dave Bossert -- offered up their own opinions regarding the remake, and they weren't big fans.

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Bossert believes the remake manages to stand on its own stating, “It not only showcases a great story again, but it’s an homage to the original film.” However, that doesn't mean he (and his fellow colleagues) love the film as a whole. In fact, Stephan felt that the voice acting on the film was weak, ultimately calling them "wooden."

The biggest issue with the film, though, was the use of photo realism, though. Like many critics of the film, the animators felt that the realistic lions lacked emotion in their performances. “It would jar me out of the film, literally. Especially with little Simba walking around. It was too real," Stephan explained. "And then when he would talk, it reminded me of those old nature films where they would dub the voices over and the lips would move. I thought, ‘Oh, this is really cheap.’"

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“I wish they had a little bit more emotion in the characters’ eyes," Bossert continued. "If you’ve got animals talking, you can take more liberties with facial expressions. … Really with the eyes more than anything else."

The outlet also talked to three other animators for the film, who aren't planning to see the movie and were not named. One, who is now employed with a different studio, said, “I will only get myself in trouble if I comment on the ‘other’ version.” One of their former colleagues said, “There is a huge resentment against these 3D remakes from the original 2D crews. Maybe if we got any kind of royalties it would be different.”

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Currently in theaters, director Jon Favreau's The Lion King features the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and James Earl Jones.