The Lion KingThe Lion King was the first Disney film that I found emotionally satisfying. It is actually one of the first films that made me cry (The movie Ghost was actually the very first). Now I cry if someone looks funny on a film. I think what really made the difference is having children and feeling that attachment toward them. When I first watched The Lion King, I had my two year old son next to me. The question is: does it still stand as a great experience, after many years and many re-watchings?
Technical—5/5—It’s solid animation, with some occasionally excellent scenes, like the stampede. The voice acting is top notch and the songs are memorable and catchy. Yeah, it works.
Interest—5/5—It’s high drama with a lot of funny comedy. Not a boring scene in sight. Perhaps the romantic scene was unnecessary and distracting. But I can’t say that about any other scene. The opening and the closing are still so dramatic and the music is so perfect they make my heart skip a beat.
Tension—5/5—Just thinking about Jeremy
Lions Irons (hee, hee) saying the words, “It’s to die for”, gives me shivers…
Emotional—4/5—It doesn’t make me cry like it used to. But all the impact is there, the great relationship between Simba and Mufasa, the child accepting responsibility for what he didn’t do… this is powerful drama when we see it in everyday life.
Characters—4/5—Okay, it’s a Disney film. The characters are created with broad strokes and each one is more of a type than a true person. But that’s better than a lot of other Disney film where they are two dimensional. To have the type of the Great King say, “I was scared today that I might lose you.” is wonderfully perfect. Even Zazu, who is the straight man for the leads gets a clever line “He might make a handsome throw rug.” And even if the dialogue is a bit stilted at times, usually the acting makes up for it. James Earl Jones can’t say a sentence without gravitas. Even Matthew Broderick was excellent here. Fred Savage was great as young Simba.
Theme—5/5—The theme is hammered home many times “The Circle of Life”. And even though it is explained as some sort of ecosystem, the reality of the theme is to accept the responsibility one is born with. We are who we are, and we can’t deny our responsibility.
Ethics—4/5—Perhaps the theme might seem fatalistic to an American audience (although the box office didn’t notice any slack). But it isn’t fatalistic at all. Simba wasn’t only born king, but he had to choose it as well. He had the opportunity for a different life and so he had complete freedom. Interestingly enough, that which prevented him from being his full self was baggage from his childhood. And this film encourages people to face that baggage down and take up the power that one has within one. That ends up being a very powerful message. One that perhaps most self-confident people don’t need to hear, but for those who have experienced damage like child abuse, this is a powerful film.
Personal—5/5—Well, I’ve never suffered child abuse nor have I been a king. But I am a father and a son. I’ve had ambitions that have been dashed. I’ve dreamed of “hakuna matata”, but had to work anyway. Yep, it’s all there.
I still love this film. I’m so glad I own it. I’m so happy I’ve showed it to all my kids. It is easily one of Disney’s best. It goes on my top 100.