The Lion King Review
by Michael J. Legeros (legeros AT unx DOT sas DOT com)June 29th, 1994
THE LION KING
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1994 Michael John Legeros
Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Written by Irene Mechi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton Cast featuring the voices of
Rowan Atkinson............Zazu (hornbill)
Matthew Broderick.........Adult Simba (lion)
Niketa Calame.............Young Nala (lion)
Jim Cummings..............Ed (hyena)
Whoopi Goldberg...........Shenzi (hyena)
Robert Guillaume..........Rafiki (baboon)
Jeremy Irons..............Scar (lion)
James Earl Jones..........Mufasa (lion)
Moria Kelly...............Adult Nala (lion)
Nathan Lane...............Timon (meerkat)
Cheech Marin..............Banzai (hyena)
Ernie Sabella.............Pumbaa (wart hog)
Madge Sinclair............Sarabi (lion)
Jonathan Taylor Thomas....Young Simba (lion) MPAA Rating "G"
Running Time 87 minutes
==
"Carnivores. Oy!"
- Timon the meerkat
Disney has done it again! Surprised? Forget the cross promotions and tie-ins-from-hell, the strengths of THE LION KING are many and you could waste an entire afternoon going over the giddy delights of this full-length animated feature. Rich imagery, colorful characters, and timeless themes are just some of the reasons to roar about THE KING.
The story--an agreeable blend of HAMLET, BAMBI, and THE JUNGLE BOOK--introduces Simba, a young lion lad whose father, Mufasa, is king. But when the king is crowned by his scheming brother Scar, young Simba is led to believe that he caused his father's death. Simba flees the kingdom, instilled with the guilt that will inhibit his return as an adult. The cub pairs with a pair of jungle johns--Pumbaa the wart hog and Timon the meerkat--who teach Simba the bare necessities, including their philosophy of "no worries"--a mantra that will prove quite convenient for Simba to run away from responsibility.
And you thought this was just a cartoon.
THE LION KING borrows the best from "big three," incorporating the anachronistic humor of ALADDIN, the somber splendor of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and the youthful vigor of THE LITTLE MERMAID. (Not to mention almost *all* of BAMBI.)
There's action and adventure and, of course, music. Glorious, sweeping music from a score (by Hans Zimmer) that, oddly, is better than the songs (by Tim Rice and Elton John). These tunes lack the obvious wit of previous partners Alan Menken and Howard Ashman and, with the exception of the "Be Prepared" (sung by Irons), are little more than agreeable filler.
The characterizations are some of the most diverse that Disney's done to date. No humans are on hand, for a change, and no one flies solo ala Robin Williams. Not even second-half scene-stealer Nathan Lane as Timon. Best of the best is Irons as Scar, who takes his place in the long-standing line of memorable Disney villains.
The film stumbles a bit in the art department. Some of the segments--such as a computer-aided stampede of wildebeest--are breathtaking to behold. Other, less-involved scenes use simple backdrops that are almost eyesores by comparison. The entire final sequence, for example, looks almost unfinished.
THE LION KING is an enthusiastic sign that the Disney *still* has room for improvement. Sure, THE KING is a grand entertainment and is easily one of the best films so far this year. But add better songs and more computer graphics and *then* we'll see something the likes of which we've never seen before.
PARENTS: King Mufasa dies a violent death in the film. Should you take the young ones to this? To see or not see? That is the question that I cannot answer. (I cried in *every* scene.)
BOTTOM LINE: Once again, one of the best films (so far) this year is from Disney. THE LION KING is grand entertainment. Go have a good cry.
Grade: A-
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
