There is a small gap indeed between this movie and greatness

Rating: 9/10 (4 August 2002)

Superb drawings. Good moral message. Very good songs.
Then, what is it that separates this movie from the best (ie, "Fantasia", "Toy Story 2", "Beauty and the Beast")?
A very good question, indeed. It may be Disney's love for musical number (the grating "I just can't wait to be king" is the worst offender here). Or the fact that this movie was released so close to what is arguably the best animated film of all time: "Beauty and the Beast". Or it could be that audiences could not easily relate to lions and hiennas.
Either way, the small bad points of this movie are completely overshadowed by the grandiose moments in it, such as the opening sequence (pretty much the best I've ever seen in an animated film), or Scaar's rise to power in a scene very much alike a Nazi congregation.
Still waiting fro the DVD to come out...