THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Everyone has their favorite animated film and for me, my all time favorite of the genre will always be The Lion King.
PLOT
Inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the film takes place in a fictional version of Africa where animals are capable of speaking and lions rule over the animal kingdom. A Lion named Scar is jealous that his nephew Prince Simba, son of King Mufasa, is next in line for the throne of Pride Rock. It bothers him because he was supposed to inherit had he not been born. So in order to have what he wants, he intends to have the cub out of the picture. He tricks him into visiting an elephant graveyard that is forbidden for lions to go near. Simba falls for it and brings his lioness friend Nala with him. They are able to get there after distracting Zazu, a hornbill that is the majordomo to the king. It is proven to be forbidden with good reason, as it is territory for hyenas. Thankfully, Mufasa is able to protect them in time when Zazu alerts him of their whereabouts. He does express disappointment towards his son and despite having the right to feel such, he chooses to forgive him and tell him that he’ll still watch over him from the night sky when he’s long gone. Although Scar is disappointed that the hyenas failed to kill the prince, he promises to feed them forever once he takes the throne from his brother. So the next day, he sets up a trap by luring Simba to a gorge, claiming that he has a surprise waiting for him. The hyenas then chase/drive a herd of wildebeest into it, planning to have the cub trampled. Scar intentionally warns Mufasa of the gorge stampede to lure him into the trap as well. The king does save his son from peril, but he struggles to save himself. When he reaches the edge, Scar pushes him off, which kills him as planned. He then makes Simba believe it is his fault since he summoned a roar before the stampede occurred. The false guilt convinces the cub to leave and not ever return. And from there, Scar finally inherits the throne and starts making bad moves by enforcing an alliance with the hyenas that causes the Pride Lands to become drought stricken. Eventually, Simba goes so far that he reaches a desert and collapses. He is almost eaten by vultures/buzzards, but is rescued by the duo of a meerkat and warthog named Timon and Pumbaa. They take him in and encourage him to live a carefree life to put the past behind him. By the time he becomes an adult, he reunites with Nala who left Pride Rock to find help. Knowing that he’s alive means there is a chance he could restore order. Although he understands that he could save Pride Rock, he storms off, still feeling that false guilt and chooses not to tell Nala yet. He than encounters a baboon named Rafiki, who is the shaman of Pride Rock. He figured out he was still alive when recognizing his scent from a piece of his mane that travelled all across the jungle. When the two meet, Rafiki tells Simba that Mufasa’s spirit still lives in him. The prince sees the spirit of his father in the sky, which encourages him that he has to take his place. When he takes off, Nala and Timon & Pumbaa join him. When the latter of friends distract some hyenas, Nala assembles the lionesses, whereas Simba confronts Scar for the first time. His uncle appears surprised since he assumed that the hyenas had finished him off. He does attempt to challenge him for the throne unless he steps down willingly. But Scar pulls his last trick by reminding him of the false truth that he is responsible for Mufasa’s death. Simba admits how he feels but before he could explain himself, Scar taunts him and backs him to the edge of Pride Rock. Just as this happens, thunder strikes and fire surrounds the rock. He attempts to push Simba off, but when he makes the mistake of admitting what he did through a whisper, this enrages the prince enough to get up and and make him confess aloud. When he does, war ensues between the lions and hyenas, Rafiki and Timon & Pumbaa join the fight as well, freeing Zazu from imprisonment in the process. When Simba corners Scar, he gives him the same opportunity he gave him, to leave and never return. His uncle refuses and chooses to fight. The fight goes on long enough for Simba to push him off the rock. He is then killed by the hyenas as they overheard him trying to shift the blame on them. As they feast, the predators die in the fire. The fire is then out out by rain and as the conflict has ended, Simba finally takes rightful claim to the throne. The film forwards to a now restored Pride Lands, showing Nala by Simba’s side as his queen. The film ends with Rafiki presenting their cub to the assembled animals, who will one day be next in line for the throne as well.
THOUGHTS
I have been seeing this film as long as I can remember and I never tire of how amazing this one is. When you open up with something as dramatic and intriguing as 'The Circle of Life', you just know that you'll never forget for what is to come. With every second and every frame, Directors Rob Minkoff & Roger Allers make the most captivating use of animation you'll ever see. It blows my mind that the animation has hardly aged as the decades go by. Hans Zimmer's score is incredible to listen to because it creates that feeling where your soul is being lifted. To get it out of the way, 'The Circle of Life' is hands down the best song from any Walt Disney film in general because it is telling people to appreciate life and take in the wonders of the world. This movie has held up for so long because it shares the greatest lessons of all and we wouldn't be able to notice them without the most colorful characters you'll ever see. The most powerful of which has to be being able to forgive yourself, which we learn firsthand in the perspective of Simba. Simba is and always will be an iconic character because Jonathan Taylor Thomas portrays his adventurous attitude as any child would have, hence 'I Just Can't Wait to Be KIng' being a great song of a child's naive excitement to be an adult, while Matthew Broderick depicts his insecurity as an adult. We all make mistakes and he reminds us that it is normal, but the only way to be responsible is to learn from them because nothing is solved if you run. The death of his father was so not his fault, but he would've not realized that had he not confronted the demon that haunted him. So when he takes the throne he deserves with his mightiest roar, you can't help but feel inspired of it because it creates the realization that anything is possible and all you have to do is obstacles. Nala is likable as well because while Niketa Calame expresses defensive sass a child can predictably express, Moira Kelly presents her persistent maturity which is a result of living under the rule of a terrible king. She is truly the unsung hero of the story because Simba would've not been able to take the throne had she not found him. It seems that the two fall for each other because of how they admire their qualities. She admired his bravery ever since he stood up to the hyenas and he admired her intelligence since it was somehow her idea to distract Zazu the way they did. Either version of 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' is a delight to hear because it accurately describes how unstoppable and unconditional can be. Mufasa is truly the king of all dads you'll ever see because with the iconic voice of James Earl Jones, you feel the strict yet mindful heart he has throughout. He truly loves his son and all he cares about is wanting him on the right path and luckily, he was always there to help him find his way back. His death is forever traumatizing because losing a loved one like a parent is terrible and that is the last thing you want to think about. The gift that comes from this tragedy is that as long as you still love him/her, they'll never be forgotten. Simba always loved his father and for that, Mufasa was always there, especially when needed. Rowan Atkinson makes Zazu a highlight for accurately making him making him a stern yet quirky friend. Being involved with lions sounds risky, but he makes it look easy because he knows who to trust and someone as knowledgeable as him is a great ally to have. Rafiki is another standout because Robert Guillaume presents him as the most sagacious. He can be unpredictable, but that is part of being eccentric. If not for his spiritual connection to animals, he would've not been able to help SImba reconnect with Mufasa. The line 'He lives in you' always gets me emotional because that was the best way to remind people that as long as you still love the ones you lost, they'll never be forgotten. He fought alongside the lions as well because he qualifies as family just like Zazu. Timon & Pumbaa are easily the best characters of the whole movie for me because Nathan Lane & Ernie Sabella were on point making them the most open hearted and care free of characters you'll ever see. They're even such a funny dynamic since Timon can sometimes be self centered while Pumbaa can be more loving. They have such big hearts for saving Simba's life and taking him in because they knew he would have a better chance of survival with their help, aside from having muscle on their side. They are even the most thoughtful for fighting alongside him, despite not fully understanding what the throne meant to him. However, the real reason they forever remain as memorable as the lead is because they teach Simba to relax and lessen the worry, hence the joy you feel when you sing or say 'Hakuna Matata'. Last but not least, with a memorable protagonist in the story, you're gonna need a memorable antagonist to go with it. The hyenas are indeed unforgettable underlings for laughing between their sadism, but it is Scar that makes the biggest mark. Voiced incredibly by Jeremy Irons, he is the most resentful of villains because he is hungry for power and with that kind of motivation, one can only make bad decisions. It is truly through his perspective where you realize that you have to trust wisely in order to avoid betrayal. And hearing 'Be Prepared' is oddly great to hear because it reminds people what he is all about. And on top of that, I think he is prime example that lying is gonna get you in trouble because look what happened to him in the end. Not liking this film is impossible, but it doesn’t excuse the issues I’ve noticed after years of re watching. First off, it is funny that Scar tries to eat Zazu, but I am so thrown off of how Mufasa is only mildly upset about it. If this has happened one too many times, then that should be clarified to make the scene more funny. And if that’s the case, Zazu shouldn’t even confront Scar on his own ever. I also wonder why hasn’t Scar ever tried killing Mufasa before Simba was born? If he want the throne so bad, then the sooner would’ve been better for him. And why didn’t he kill Simba when he had him alone instead of shifting the blame? There were no witnesses, so he’s just making it more complicated to get the throne. I know he sends the hyenas, but they failed the first time around. And how exactly was it Nala’s idea to distract Zazu the way she did with Simba when she was the one asking how to pull it off? If she wants credit for helping, that is fine, but don’t take it all for yourself. Trust me when I say I’m rooting for Simba, but he is way too lucky to survive the cacti when Mufasa didn’t survive the stampede. I was even weirded of how when Simba sees the reflection of his dad from the water, he appears upset. This confuses me since we know and he knows it’s not his fault. I’m not asking him to smile, but he didn’t have to look pissed. And lastly, I wonder what kind of diversion Simba would come up without Timon & Pumba? I mean he wouldn’t get close to the throne without this, so would Nala lie and tell them they found food to hunt when there’s nothing left? Because that would’ve been interesting to play out. Other than that, this is still an amazing film. In conclusion, The Lion King is the best animated film of all time for perfectly capturing the magic Walt Disney is all about. If you love this brand of animation, then see this movie now.
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