Phenomenal

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2016)

In late 1993, when audiences bored out of their minds from hearing about NAFTA went to the movies, they were greeting with a trailer that seemed to communicate one message: Summer 1994 belongs to Disney.
What was in the trailer, you might ask. One sequence and one sequence alone. But what a sequence it was. They showed the very beginning of the film, where the animals all across the continent are bowing down to the new lion prince and king-to-be, Simba. If you have seen this movie- and if you haven't, I really do feel sorry for you- you know why that is all they needed.
Honestly, this is far and away the best animated film Disney has ever produced or will ever produce. Most people of the critical persuasion prefer BatB, but I heartily disagree. Yes, BatB is probably a better movie plotwise and technically. But it's the kind of the film where I sit back and think, 'That was good. So was that. I love that angle. Those leaves are nice.' This is the kind of film that overloads me with grandeur and epicness and raw feats of animation and storytelling.
It taps into something deeper, something essential to the human mind and spirit. True, I should expect something of the sort saying that it is clearly based on Shakespeare's Hamlet, but this film takes its material and runs as fast as a gazelle on the African plains. I am often borderline by how attached I am to this film and what it does. It's lush in a way that no Disney film (Frozen comes closest) can live up to.
Most films strike me most the first time I see them, even films that I really like. Not this movie. Every time, it blows me away more and more. The more movies I see and the more things I experience, the more impressive this film becomes. It's extraordinary. At the top of the list of the extraordinary things it does is the animation. Comparing Western and Eastern 2-D animation is like comparing a mountain with a river, but I say here and now that this film somehow looks even better than Miyazaki's finest works, and believe me, that is not a compliment I through around lightly. The colors are so rich and the lines so well-defined. There are animated movies out there that want to make you think that you're not watching drawings. This film doesn't. This film proudly displays its art and soars with it.
There are too many good scenes in this film to count. I won't spoil them in case you are part of the group of poor unfortunate souls who haven't yet seen the film, but they roll in, one right after the other. The climax in particular sticks out to me. It's probably one of the most atmospheric scenes in all of cinema.
Some people throw around the word 'epic' lightly. I do not. I only say something is epic if it has the qualities of an epic. This does, which is impressive considering it is less than an hour and a half long. I wouldn't say it's quite as sprawling as LoTR or Princess Mononoke, but the way it manages do evoke the same feelings as those films in such a short running time is most impressive.
The characters are not the best part of the film, but they are not particularly annoying either. Simba is fine, though I like him considerably more as a child than an adult. Nala is sympathetic and grounded and one of my favorite characters in the film. I used to hate Zazu when I first watched this movie as a kid, but I can identify with him more and more as I grow up. Serabi isn't particularly dynamic, but she is likable enough. Timon and Pumbaa annoy me, but they don't make the film any worse, and any damage they do is undone by Mufasa. Played by James Earl Jones, he is one of the coolest, most captivating movie characters ever. When he says something, you listen. I think the role would have still been good without Jones, but with him, it is legendary.
Like most all 90's Disney movies, this is a musical, and a musical is nothing without great songs. I have forgiven a lot of subpar musicals because they had good songs, and I have bashed a lot of otherwise fine musicals for an excess of poor song numbers. The songs here are fantastic.
The Circle of Life would be my choice if I had to pick a new Disney song to replace When You Wish Upon a Star. It is anthemic. I Just Can't Wait to be King is one of my all time guilty pleasures. Whenever I'm feeling down in the dumps, I cue it up, and within five minutes I'm dancing to jungle drums. But my all time favorite is Can You Feel the Love Tonight? This was originally intended to be a joke duet sung by Timon and Pumbaa, but Elton John made them change it, and I thank him for it. Not only did this song win at the Oscars (three Lion King songs were nominated that year, forcing them to change the rules so only one song per movie is eligible), Elton John's version of it won Best Male Performance at the Grammy's. It won award after award and rightfully so. It is the most sweepingly romantic song I've ever heard. Listen to the Elton John version though. It's better than the one in the movie.
This isn't just a generational touchstone or an all-time classic. It's one of the best movies of all time and a sterling showcase for the power of animation.