The Last Great Hand-Drawn Animated Film from Disney

Rating: 9/10 (17 March 2009)

Throughout the early 1990s, Disney animation appeared to be unstoppable. "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin" and "The Lion King" in quick succession had set a new standard for animation. Unfortunately for Disney, "The Lion King" would be its last hurrah for a while, or really for good. Pixar would soon pick up the torch, and now Pixar is king of the jungle.
But as for "The Lion King"......."Beauty and the Beast" is probably my favorite Disney animated film, but this one is a close second. It's the darkest and most ambitious and it's got superb animation. The song score by Elton John is the weakest in the above-mentioned string of films, but the orchestral score by Hans Zimmer is the best. The film doesn't shy away from the savagery of the natural world, or the difficult emotions surrounding life and death, and for that I applaud it.
Grade: A