An Animated Masterpiece,

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2011)

"The Lion King" is essentially a retelling of "Hamlet" set on the Savannah and casted with lions. Simba (Prince Hamlet) is the child of Mufasa (King Hamlet) and Sarabi (Gertrude), the heir apparent of the Savannah. His uncle Scar (Claudius), however, has ambitions for the throne. Aligning himself with a pack of hyenas, Scar succeeds in killing his brother and taking the throne for himself. The Hyenas, unable to kill Simba, chase him into a desert and leave him for dead. He grows up mentored by the meerkat Timon (Rosencrantz) and the warthog Pumba (Guildenstern) until Nala (Ophelia), a childhood friend, finds him and convinces him to return home and take his place as king.
Despite abundant opportunities to become a derivative child-friendly adaptation of the Shakespeare play, "The Lion King" succeeds as a unique and family-friendly experience. It conveys the emotions of tragic loss and unforgivable betrayal that, while devastating and heartbreaking, are still appropriate for the entire family. Even moreso than Bambi's mother's, Mufasa's death is a heartrenching experience (and I am not above admitting that I cried watching Simba search for his father in the deserted gorge in which he died).
The animation is easily the most breathtaking of Disney's 2-D features: brilliantly capturing the majesty of the African Savannah. The Pride Lands are bright and crisp while the elephant graveyard is nightmarishly grim. The landscape upon Simba's return is nothing short of haunting.
The film demonstrates an elegant mastery of visual symbolism rare in films produced since the early sixties. The song "Be Prepared" contains evocative visual allusions to the Third Reich, aligning Scar's reign with that of Hitler's. Gothic tradition holds that the natural world is a reflection of the social order; as such, the barren Pride Lands, littered with bones and scorched flora, with bent, stunted trees in the foreground reflects the unnatural ascension of Scar to the throne. In a moment of catharsis etched into every child's memory, the post-battle rain washes away the last remnants of Scar's reign, cleansing the Pride Lands and its inhabitants.
A host of prominent actors lend their vocal talents to this film, including the James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Cheech Marin, Whoopi Goldberg. Elton John rounds out the vocal ensemble, lending his voice to a number of Tim Rice's exceptional musical numbers.
This is film is a true classic and easy to for all viewers, young and old, to enjoy together. It is a rare person who will not find something to like in it (genuinely funny quips, thrilling musical numbers, well-crafted script, exceptional voice talents). If you get the slightest opportunity to see this film, I recommend that you take it.