Many mainstream fans often don’t think of animated films as being on the same level as live action features. I assume this is because there are a higher number of live action films which have made an impact on an audience. However, there are a good number of animated films which have certain superiority about them. Pixar for example has a fantastic gallery of animated films which have defined generations (Toy Story and Finding Nemo for instance). But I have chosen to review one of the most loved films of our time, The Lion King – Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff, 1994.
The Lion King has so many things right with it that it’s no wonder that it’s so popular worldwide. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the film follows the emotion filled journey of lion cub Simba as he endures painful life lessons, learning to overcome his past and accept his responsibility as king. Such a plot may have faltered if the characters were human, but the characters being anthropomorphised animals just works. Not to mention that the actors providing the voices are so perfectly cast that it’s hard to imagine another cast in place.
Opening with one of cinemas most iconic sequences, filling the viewer’s eyes with astounding, bright images and a rousing song, the film instantly delivers. After the opening titles, and just before the story starts rolling, we are introduced to two characters. Mufasa, Simba’s father and king of the Pridelands voiced perfectly by James Earl Jones, and Scar, Mufasa’s scheming brother voiced chillingly by Jeremy Irons. Irons’ performance is undoubtedly the best in the film, his voice purring through Scar, giving the character an extra layer of depth. Jones on the other hand enhances his character by lending his deep voice to Mufasa, adding a sense of pride and power. Music plays a big part in this film, and to some audiences song and dance scenes may turn them away, but not here. The soundtrack for The Lion King was written and composed by Elton John and Tim Rice, and they did a fantastic job of telling parts of the story and expressing characters through their music. As well as the songs, Hans Zimmer’s great score does well to heighten the emotion in the film, especially for scenes expanding upon the father-son relationship between Mufasa and Simba. And that is what this film is really about at its core; a father-son relationship which grabs the attention of the audience and makes them shed a few tears when tragedy strikes. In the second act we meet a few other characters, notably the funny duo Timon and Pumbaa, voiced by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella respectively. It’s in the second half of the film that Simba, now grown up, reunites with his childhood friend Nala and has a wakeup call. Like any good film, it provides a lesson that the audience can take to heart; you can’t change the past.
The producers of The Lion King must have felt that making the film was a bit of a risk, what with all the musical numbers and deep plot. Fortunately when they put it together it worked wonderfully. There is nothing the film can improve on, it has a superb cast, charming songs and is filled with enough emotional scenes to pull your heartstrings clean off. (My personal favourite being the scene in which Simba finally claims his place as king).
As good as it is colourful, The Lion King – 5 out of 5 stars.
BFFRAP 