Recent Reviews for The Lion King
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MCT:October 10, 2006A rollicking and fast-paced animated adventure, with enough laughs, music, & thrills, to entertain & delight viewers of all ages.
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MCT:January 6, 2009"Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life."
One of the most popular Disney animated musicals, The Lion King presents the story of a lion cub's journey to adulthood and acceptance of his royal destiny. Simba (voiced first by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, then by Matthew Broderick) begins life as an honored prince, son of the powerful King Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones). The cub's happy childhood turns tragic when his evil uncle Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons) murders Mufasa and drives Simba away from the kingdom. In exile, the young lion befriends the comically bumbling pair of Pumbaa the warthog (voiced by Ernie Sabella) and Timon the meerkat (voiced by Nathan Lane) and lives a carefree jungle life. As he approaches adulthood, however, he is visited by the spirit of his father, who instructs him to defeat the nefarious Scar and reclaim his rightful throne.
Review
A super film, up there with Disney's finest, and, like all the best movies, great for young and old alike. Some tragedy, comedy, 'rite of passage', suspense, and with one of the truly great opening sequences of any film, whether real life or cartoon, this is terrific stuff. The characters are well fleshed out and the detail in the foliage and fauna, landscape etc.is absolutely awesome. The 'feel' gleaned, particularly from ensemble scenes, is often as if one is in the thick of the action. I rate The Lion King second only to The Jungle Book in the Disney canon (and it's a close call).
Recommended to all. -
MCT:October 19, 2008
"Oh, I just can't wait to be kiiiing... "
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MCT:September 13, 2008
Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life...
Genre: Childrens
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Guillaume
Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Screenwriter: Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts
THE MOVIE OUTLINE
A young lion prince is born in Africa, thus making his uncle Scar the second in line to the throne. Scar plots with the hyenas to kill King Mufasa and Prince Simba, thus making himself King. The King is killed and Simba is led to believe by Scar that it was his fault, and so flees the kingdom in shame. After years of exile he is persuaded to return home to overthrow the usurper and claim the kingdom as his own thus completing the "Circle of Life".
MY APPRAISAL
A breathtaking and magnificent moving story of all time. Not just a terrific kid-friendly cartoon, but also a superlative drawn movie.. The movie plots are spicy, the soundtracks are brilliant, and overall, it's flawless. It managed to bring soothing atmosphere and a true Disney Classic. Though i watch it over and over again, it still have the power to amaze the viewers. A true LEGEND in the history of movie industry.
If there is ever such a GORGEOUS and COLOSSAL animation masterpiece ever shown on the silver screen, then LION KING must be it.
Rafiki: [after guiding Simba to a spot where he says will show him Mufasa Mufasa] "Look down there."
Adult Simba: [looks into a pool of water] "That's not my father. That's just my reflection."
Rafiki: "No, look harder.
[touches the water, as it ripples Simba's reflection changes to that of his father]
Rafiki: "You see? He lives in you."
Mufasa's ghost: "[from above] Simba."
Adult Simba: Father?
Mufasa's ghost: [apears among the stars] "Simba, you have forgotten me."
Adult Simba: "No. How could I?"
Mufasa's ghost: "You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life."
Adult Simba: "How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be."
Mufasa's ghost: " Remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king. Remember..." -
MCT:August 13, 2008
This movie came out when I was in middle/high school (aka too cool for cartoons)... and 14 years after it's release I finally see what many herald as the greatest Disney movie of all time. And, well, I'm inclined to agree.
I gave it 5 stars, but I didn't necessarily love it so much to the point where I will rave about it. It is still just a kids movie. It's simple, but it's probably the best animated Disney movie... especially during it's time.
It's amazing how I knew all the characters names and I knew the words to all the songs... but I have never seen the movie before! That says a lot about how this movie has impacted our culture.
It's a heartwarming and fun adventure that many will enjoy. -
MCT:July 13, 2008Loved it...like everyone else
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MCT:July 12, 2008
I really DO feel the love tonight. Shakespearean in its scope with unrivalled songs and music. Irons is pitch perfect as the sadistic uncle and for once not even the comedy sidekicks annoy. The animation just goes to show what can't be captures in CGI, those bright colours, those impressive landscapes. Though the use of computers to enhance the dramatic and thrilling stampede scene can't be highly praised enough. Father's die, kids blame themselves, it's quite dark for a kids offering but when your having this much fun who gives a flying flook.
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MCT:June 16, 2008
And I quote...
With the death of Mufasa, the father of the lion cub who will someday be king. The Disney animators know that cute little cartoon characters are not sufficient to manufacture dreams. There have to be dark corners, frightening moments, and ancient archetypes like the crime of regicide. "The Lion King," which is a superbly drawn animated film, is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, although it was considered to be too intense for very young children...and when one thinks long enough on it...it is rightly so...
Despite the comic relief from the hyenas, the meerkat (Timon) and the warthog (Pumbaa), "The Lion King" is a little more subdued than "Mermaid," "Beauty" and "Aladdin." The central theme is a grim one: A little cub is dispossessed, and feels responsible for the death of its father...
Basically what we have here is a drama, with comedy occasionally lifting the mood. The result is a surprising seriousness; this isn't the mindless romp with cute animals that the ads might lead you to expect. Although the movie may be frightening and depressing to the very young, I think it's positive that "The Lion King" deals with real issues. By processing life's realities in stories, children can prepare themselves for more difficult lessons later on. The saga of Simba, which in its deeply buried origins owes something to Greek tragedy and certainly to "Hamlet," is a learning experience as well as an entertainment... -
MCT:May 10, 2008
"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"
I still remember when I was a tender age of 3 and first saw The Lion King on the big screen. When it was released on VHS it became a film I watched almost everyday. I would not be alone in saying that this film was an essential part of my early childhood. Because I had watched this film so much I have basically committed every scene to memory.
It had been about 5-10 years since I last watched this brilliant Disney movie. Needless to say, a re-screening was highly necessary because of how powerful this film was on my childhood years. The Lion King was first released in 1994. Now the film is regarded as a classic. Currently as a teenager I can say that this film still has the same impact and power despite what age range you have reached. As a child you appreciate the slapstick humour on screen. When characters do amusing antics the kids will have a good laugh. Of course they don't know what is going on most of the time. In later years the magic is still present. You can devour the film for its plot and clever script. You can analyse how innovative the animation is. And yet, you can still laugh at the mannerisms of the animals.
The Lion King is the story of a young lion cub named Simba (voiced by both Thomas and Broderick) who is heir to the throne of Pride Rock now run by his father Mufasa (Jones). But Simba is forced into exile when he is at the receiving end of a treacherous, deceptive plot courtesy of his jealous uncle Scar (Irons). After the death of Mufasa the kingdom is now ruled by Scar who will essentially spell doom for Pride Rock. While Simba lives another life he becomes the unlikely friends of a meerkat named Timon (Lane) and a warthog named Pumbaa (Sabella). But as Simba's rightful kingdom is crumbling due to its poor leadership, his past returns and leads him to his rightful destiny of becoming king.
The Lion King has a fairly straight-forward plot that will work on the surface for the kids. As you grow older you look past its pretty pictures and see something a lot deeper than you would have originally remembered. In a nutshell, the film is loosely a Shakespearean drama rich in themes of jealousy, deception, betrayal, murder and redemption. In essence this formula we have seen countless times before. It's just not as noticeable because of its pretty new packaging for the clichés to breed inside. Of course this is a children's film so these clichés and formulaic plot points can be excused.
The Lion King is one of the cleverest Disney films in existence. Its appeal stretches to each and every age range. The film has its adorable moments, hilarious moments and of course the intense or tragic moments. This is not your average Disney movie at all!
The most memorable image for me was the introduction of the renowned Timon and Pumbaa. These two were a particular favourite of mine when I was a youngster. Nathan Lane is a piece of perfect casting. His excellent lines of dialogue had me in stitches. The rest of the voice cast are outstanding. Jeremy Irons is another stand-out as the sadistic, evil Scar. Many of his lines are memorable because of how brilliantly he delivers them.
The animation is indeed incredible even after all these years. The film is breathtaking in its amazing images shown using simple animation techniques. Naturally, the cherry on top is the music. Elton John contributed to the music here. In addition to Elton we also have Tim Rice and Hans Zimmer collaborating to produce the music, songs and score. Do you expect this to go wrong?
The Lion King is a treasure chest rich in nostalgic memories from my childhood. It has been so many years but this film is still one of my favourites. The Lion King is the fundamental embodiment of a children's animation film. Laughs, clever characters, witty dialogue and great animation. If you haven't seen this for several years I suggest another screening is required. You will become addicted once again. -
MCT:April 26, 2008
A young lion prince is born in Africa, thus making his uncle Scar the second in line to the throne. Scar plots with the hyenas to kill King Mufasa and Prince Simba, thus making himself King. The King is killed and Simba is led to believe by Scar that it was his fault, and so flees the kingdom in shame. After years of exile he is persuaded to return home to overthrow the usurper and claim the kingdom as his own thus completing the "Circle of Life". The soundtrack from Tim Rice, Elton John along with music from Hans Zimmer is outstanding. The music in the movie really made it come alive. The score is haunting and beautiful. Along with the art work, the music captures the heart of Africa. This movie is great for people of all age.
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MCT:January 5, 2009
Even if it is a glorified Bambi of sorts this film is spectacular, in achievement, in scale, and in heartfelt enthusiasm. Some scenes may be upsetting for small children indeed, what about the adults?
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MCT:January 5, 2009
Haha lol,, i just thought of Terry Foster when this just came up..[media guys no what im on about :p]
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MCT:January 3, 2009
It just works doesnt it? A sweet moving story. Loviable characters, catchy songs. This movie still shows up now its Classic. Simba is a hero. As well as Timon and Pumba
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MCT:January 2, 2009Hamlet for kids. Its good. The plot is a rip-off, but a well done rip-off that shouldent really be considered a rip-off. Its funny, moving if your in the right mood. A great childrens animation that i loved as a kid and can still sit through now.
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MCT:December 28, 2008one of those childhood movies i've never seen. people keep telling me to watch it. can't say my expectations are high
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MCT:December 28, 2008
This is one of my favorite cartoons of all times, I have the special 2 disc collectors dvd. Good story, nice sound track, memorable characters
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MCT:December 27, 2008Still pretty good. The songs are nice and catchy and fun to sing along to. And the characters are good as well. This is probably one of my favourite classic Disney films when it was all hand drawn and it followed emotions ect.
Great film and is still good now. Must watch at least once in your lifetime. Smile
8/10 -
MCT:December 22, 2008
i love this movie so so so so much!
u hav no idea how much i LUV! this movie!!!! i kno all the songs and evrything
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MCT:December 22, 2008
BOST BEST FILM EVER DE EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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MCT:December 21, 2008
I love the concept. The soundtrack especailly, written by the clever Elton John, has always been a favorite.
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MCT:December 19, 2008
yeppers....another good one..my oldest grandchild is 16 now, so go figure, if I hadn't seen it, they have it, and my youngest is 2 months old, so I will be seeing them all, given time...lol
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MCT:December 19, 2008
Love most of the kids animation films he! he! Often have 2 question myself as 2 how old i am ha! ha! Great film.
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MCT:December 16, 2008
Touching, great story and an excellent soundtrack featuring Elton John this film will take you on an adventure you'll never forget. Definately a must own.
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MCT:December 15, 2008
Umm, can anyone even say anything bad about this move? If they do, it's either a lie or they're deranged. Cuz this movie is an all-time classic!
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MCT:December 14, 2008
It was Okay, I'm sure that I'll be impressed more If I watch this ten years ago. The musics are kinda cool.
