A Disney Masterpiece from its '90s peak

Rating: 10/10 (13 February 2017)

While compared at times to "Bambi" due to the similarities in its central story, "The Lion King" is so much more than a modern retelling of Disney's 1942 film. Ushering in the full blown revamped Disney brand, this Academy Award winning film is also one of the most mature from Disney's high point period.
Focusing on the life of young lion cub and future king, Simba, we follow the naive cub as his life is uprooted in a terrible tragedy and forces him to run away, but years later return and fight for his rightful place.
Disney assembles one of their greatest voice casts to portray the vast arrays of characters from the African savanna. James Earl Jones brings his distinctly deep voice to the wise king of Pride Rock, Mufasa, while English thespian Jeremy Irons voices his wicked brother, Scar, the film's central villain and most foppish bad guy in the Disney cannon. Child star Johnathan Taylor Thomas voices the young Simba to youthful perfection while Matthew Broderick voices the adult Simba (as I've grown up, Broderick's vocal performance is mismatched for Simba's adulthood when Simba finally grows up and takes responsibility for his past). Comedic talents Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin voice two of Scar's hyena lackeys, Shenzi and Banzai, with a mostly maniacal laughing performance from veteran voice actor, Jim Cummings, as third hyena lackey, Ed. And stealing the film's comedic spotlight are Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon, the meerkat, and Phumba, the warthog. The duo are the characters who taught us all that "Hakuna Matata" means 'no worries' and made us laugh with their constant bickering and hilarious exchanges and actions.
Following in Disney's tradition for using live reference models, the animation team traveled to Kenya to sketch the landscape of the savanna. The company also had live animals from lions, meerkats, warthogs and various birds brought into the studio by zookeepers in addition to seeing the wildlife in action in their native habitat.
Complimenting the amazing visuals is the Oscar winning score by Hans Zimmer and Oscar winning songwriting team of Elton John and Tim Rice. Zimmer's instrumental score paints the dramatic picture in musical tones, but does express joy at the film's happiest moments, while Sir Elton and Tim Rice add the dramatic and comedic lyrics to compliment Zimmer's lush orchestral score.