When it comes to animated movies, there were few, if any that could match the talent at Disney. The company brought us classic films such as Snow White, Pinocchio, and Sleeping Beauty. But it wouldn't be until the late 80s and early 90s that Disney would really pick up steam again. With the release of Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, Disney entered a second golden age for animated movies. These movies proved that not only could you have great stories, but you could tell them with hand-drawn animation and music, and it is that combination that made these films special. Sadly, Disney doesn't really make movies like that very often anymore, instead relying on computer generated animation and fewer musical numbers. And while Disney found great success with films like Wall-E, Up, Toy Story and Cars, it was with the hand-drawn films on which Disney had a firm foothold, in terms of creativity and originality. But one of the greatest strengths of any of their films is their characters. Uniquely drawn, animated and voiced by some of the most talented people in Hollywood, Disney's movies would forever remain a fixture in movie entertainment. I will be reviewing The Lion King.
The film opens as animals gather to witness the ceremony celebrating the birth of King Mufasa's(James Earl Jones) son, Simba(Jonathan Taylor Thomas). Mufasa's brother, Scar(Jeremy Irons), is jealous of his brother's power and the fact that Simba is next in line for the throne. As a result, Scar would scheme to murder Mufasa and his son and claim Pride Rock for himself. Simba eventually finds himself cast out and befriends two animals, a meercat named Timon(Nathan Lane), and a boar named Pumba(Ernie Sabella). Together they decide to have fun on their own, until years later as Simba's(Matthew Broderick) childhood friend, Nala finds him and tells him what Scar has done. Finally seizing his destiny, Simba returns to Pride Rock to confront Scar.
There are a lot of elements borrowed from other stories, most notably, Shakespeare's Hamlet, but not as dark or bleak. Basically it's the story of an outcast son returning to avenge his father's murder. While Hamlet was steeped in exposition, The Lion King brings it down to a level families can enjoy. Of all the Disney films that I have seen, this one is my particular favorite. Not just because it has talking animals, but ONLY animals, not a human in sight, yet these characters possess human qualities and deal with human issues, such as love, humor, betrayal and revenge. And around all that is a very solid story. Now, a story as good as The Lion King wouldn't be as good if the talent behind the characters wasn't as good. And that is one of the film's strengths, the acting. James Earl Jones has always had a kingly voice that commands respect and vulnerability at the same time. Jonathan Taylor Thomas portrays young Simba as a rambunctious youngster hungering for adventure. But the heroes are only as good as their villains and Jeremy Irons' performance as Scar is brilliant. Irons brings to Scar a vicious, conniving and ultimately threatening tone to the character as only Jeremy Irons could. Scar, as far as I'm concerned is right up there with Star Wars' Darth Vader and Star Trek's Kahn as one of the most memorable movie villains ever seen. Matthew Broderick plays the grown Simba with a quiet nobility and vulnerability. The rest of the cast is more than adequate.
One of the greatest strengths that a Disney movie can offer is the music. And The Lion King provides some of the greatest music I've heard in a Disney film. Given the location that the film takes place, there's a lot of African-style music and chanting involved here and it really works thanks to Hans Zimmer, in one of his earlier and more powerful compositions. The film opens with a great song, "The Circle of Life," which makes the opening of the film so powerful. In fact, the opening of the film with the song was used in the trailer for the film which I've posted above. The rest of the songs are just as fantastic with great lyrics from Academy Award winner, Tim Rice and a great collaboration with Elton John, creating some of the most memorable songs in Disney's history. Released back in 1994, The Lion King was a major hit, breaking records and winning awards, including the Academy Award for best song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" by Elton John. In fact I have the soundtrack to the film. It's that good. The Lion King proved that you can have heart, humor and thrills with not humans, but animals, and it's even stronger for it. Combined with fantastic voice acting, great animation, and amazing songs, The Lion King is one of the greatest Disney movies ever made. It's one of the few movies that can actually truly pull at my heartstrings no matter how many times I see it. It's absolutely amazing. This is a film that I can easily recommend to anyone and their families. This is animated film-making at its best. Easily a 10/10.
