A real Disney beauty

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 2012)

The opening scene of The Lion King will show where you stand with this film in terms of what generation you were born in. People born outside of this generation (say, anytime before 1980) will find it pleasing and enjoyable. Those from this current generation (1981 and beyond, myself included) will be simply in awe and, if one were to recall this from their childhood (who from this time period hasn't seen this?) they may even shed a few tears.
I did and I'm not afraid to admit it. The Lion King is a dashingly fierce achievement from Disney, one with gripping scenes of delight and uncompromising beauty and charm. Its songs seem more than just standard Disney archetypes, but those of true power and importance, especially "Hakuna Matata" and "Circle of Life," the opening ballad.
The story concerns Simba, a feisty cub whose parents, Mufasa and Sarabi, carry a very respected reputation throughout the land. Mufasa is "the king of the jungle" and Simba "can't wait to be king," and for that reason, is always getting into some sort of trouble. Mufasa's brother, Scar, is jealous and holds an incredible disdain for his brother and Simba. When Simba gets himself into big trouble, causing a wild stampede of hyenas (which, by the way, is just breathtakingly slick and stylish), Mufasa is killed by Scar, when trying to rescue Simba. Scar makes Simba feel as if he was responsible for the death of his father and implores him to run away.
So he does, and Scar takes the throne in no time, running the Pride Lands into the ground and completely ruining the consistency and order Mufasa took so long to build.
Upon running away, Simba meets up with Timon, a meerkat, and Pumba, a warthog in "the jungle, the mighty jungle." They teach the naive little cub how to thrive in the jungle, and fast-forward a few years, and Simba is older, stronger, even feistier than before, and with a full grown mane.
The Lion King collectively merges the classic Shakespearean story of Hamlet with the divine simplicity and the "walk on the other side of the road" formula of their 1967 hit Jungle Book into a true achievement in every category. There's a beautiful thing about the way the film conceives emotions and builds on locations. From the first frame to the last, it is littered with evocative landscapes, some of which are hard to believe they're only hand-drawn, pre-CGI work. The use of lighting and darkness can be vaguely called "animation noir" before it became a real standard, with the sunlit landscapes of the Pride Lands and the excellent use of darkness when it came to showcasing the Scar character, is truly masterful and beyond words.
It is also interesting to note that The Lion King sort of kicks off Disney's "dare to be different" phase that it maintained well into the 2000's with films like Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Lilo and Stitch truly pushing what the company can really do. The Lion King's story, mainly centered around guilt, power, and redemption, is a lot darker with only occasional touches of humor breaking through the melancholic presence of the story. The youngsters may have a hard time coping. I know if I saw this any younger than six it would've been uncomfortable. Though it seems that with the abundance of re-releases the film is getting, the story appeals to those of all ages.
NOTE: It's a shame that Disney has stooped to the level of manipulation and tampering with this grandiose animated achievement. To see it get a 3D re-release and multiple re-releases on DVD just to become lucrative for the company, also equipped with a surcharge, is somewhat heartbreaking.
Voiced by: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Rowan Atkinson. Directed by: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff.