Rating: Grade: A
Score: 9.1/10
Family-Friendliness Scale: Level 4 (Great)
Kids ages 6+
Disney has done wonders in animation with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast being
notable examples of critically-acclaimed, universally-appealing films. As a little kid, I remember my
aunt bringing The Lion King video over for me and my cousin to watch. I also bought one of its'
sequels on DVD and finally owned it on that format (later on).
Positive Notes
Seeing the film again in theaters, I admit, I was wrong about the 3-D. It was very breathtaking, adding depth to the backgrounds, refreshing the colors and having a few jump-out-in-your-face moments. The cels (animation canvases) have also been cleaned-up, making the animation look much newer and fresher than when the film was originally released 17 years ago.
Now onto the film itself. Positive messages about bravery, self-sacrifice, and obedience stand strong. Simba and Mufasa share a strong father-son relationship, and later on in life, Simba worries that he can't live up to his fathers' reputation after he "thinks" he was responsible for Mufasa's death. The music by Hans Zimmer is excellently-composed and the songs by Elton John and Tim Rice are more examples of the unforgettable songs that Disney's long history has seen, with all four major musical
The voice cast is great. Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Matthew Broderick both bring sincerity and emotion to Simba (cub and adult). Jeremy Irons brings smooth and cunning villainy to Scar, and James Earl Jones brings a mild-mannered yet feisty attitude to Mufasa. Other stand-outs include the hilarious and sarcastic Nathan Lane as Timon and the goofy yet full of heart Robert Guiallme as Rafiki.
Negative Notes
There is very little negative to say about this film. At the very least concern, "jeez" is said six to seven times, while Timon almost spits out a swear when he says "How come I always have to save your AAAHHH!!!" Besides that, there is some mild violence that may scare the youngest of children, with sharp-toothed battles (majority of it taking place in shadow-form) taking place a few times. Two characters die (offscreen) and a wildebeest stampede does look very omnious. The only other minor concern would be a couple of brief jokes involving gas and burps.
Conclusion
The Lion King continues Disney's trend of films that can appeal to any moviegoer. With colorful animation, thrilling action, engaging characters, and toe-tapping songs, it definitely establishes itself as not just a great cartoon, its' an excellent film. In my own interests, King falls short in terms of heart when comparing it to Bolt, Lilo & Stitch, or Tangled, but even years later it makes me and the other audience members applaud in the movie theater after the ending reprise of "Circle of Life" concludes before the credits.
