To be honest, I prefer Simba’s Pride to the original movie. The two movies are quite different in atmosphere – TLK 1 gives a feeling of something epic, whereas TLK 2 seems less mystical, less… mythical, if it’s possible to say that. TLK 2 deals with the consequences of the original movie’s “happy end”, which I personally find great and realistic in a sense. I like this movie’s more prosaic approach.
While I love TLK 1, I find the plot of the second movie to be more engaging and dynamic, and character development to be more interesting (that includes Simba), as it managed to tell the stories of many characters and had more moral ambiguity. I don’t think the movie is all that predictable – would you expect them to kill off a character who belongs to the younger generation and was supposed to be perceived as comic relief? Or that the movie will recognize that the villain has a point, and the hero of the previous movie was partially wrong? I think TLK 2 becomes better if you think deep into it – there are many layers and things to discuss.
Another thing I love about TLK 2 is that it’s actually darker than the original movie. It very accurately depicts child abuse in regards to its consequences, shows that even well-meaning parents can do harm, and there is a tragic, painful, onscreen character death that (arguably) has some unfortunate implications. Nevertheless, the antagonists are treated with compassion by the hero (Kiara) and the narrative.
When it comes to animation, I actually like TLK 2’s muted colors. However, there is a thing I would criticize that movie for: inconsistent character designs (notably: Vitani; Zira’s ear notch changing places; Kovu’s scar disappearing; Nuka’s “age regression” on some shots).
Long story short, I find Simba’s Pride to be the best of the three movies. I know that’s kind of an unpopular opinion in the fandom, but I think it’s just a matter of personal preference.