My Movie Review on The Lion King (1994) · 8:10pm Jan 12th, 2020

Yo, what's up, Kemosabes?

This is your top-of-the-line film, TV show, and episode reporter here.

And, by golly! I've reached my 100th film review! Can you guys believe it?!

I couldn't have picked a better film to represent that number too, because today, I'm gonna give you guys my analysis of "The Lion King". The animated version from 1994 to be precise.

Here's the summary of it:

Simba is a lion cub whose destiny is to take the place of his father, Mufasa, as king of the Pridelands.

However, Simba's malicious uncle, Scar, also wants to rule the Pridelands, and he has an entire army of hyenas at his side to aid him.

When Mufasa is killed by a wildebeest stampede, secretly orchestrated by Scar, Simba blames himself for what happened and runs away, where he's later discovered and taken in by a meerkat and warthog named Timon and Pumbaa. The death of Mufasa and Simba's absence leaves the Pridelands under Scar's leadership and tyranny, among its occupants being Simba's best friend, Nala, and Simba's mother, Sarabi.

Will Simba ever catch wind of what Scar has done to his home? And even if he did, would he really want to go back?

I really must say, this was another film that held a special place in my life for as long as I could remember. I was open for reviewing it, but I wanted to give it a special position like I did with other certain films, so...I chose number 100. It has every right to represent that number too.

The direction by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, the screenplay by Linda Woolverton, Irene Meechi, and Jonathan Roberts, and the story by Brenda Chapman, Gary Trousdale, Chris Sanders, Joe Ranft, Tom Sito, Burny Mattinson, Jorgen Klubien, Francis Glebas, Burny Johnson, Andy Gaskill, Kevin Harkey, Rick Maki, Lorna Cook, Larry Leker, Ed Gombert, Mark Kausler, Thom Enriquez, and Jim Capabianco, were all extraordinarily well-done.

In many ways, the film felt quite straight forward and simple. But yet...it carried with it a sense of complexity that made it so much more than that, and it paced itself perfectly. The amount of emotion and drama incorporated throughout the film was also neatly worked, and they were strong enough to deeply tug at the soul. There was even a brilliant amount of humor and wit that was easily worthy of laughter and helped to lighten things up.

To boot, the animation of this film was breathtakingly astounding.

There was a storybook kind of look and vibe that made everything feel like you were seeing the pictures without having to flip the pages, and the African environments and surroundings were gorgeously lush. The character expressions, mannerisms, and movements showcased Disney at one of its finest, might I add.

The music that was composed by Hans Zimmer, and the songs by Tim Rice and Elton John were melodiously magnificent.

Admittedly, I've often forgotten what films Zimmer composed for before working on this movie, but I will say that he certainly knew how to start his long-running career of composing for animated films right. He captured something that helped his music be cinematic and emotional, and even after listening to just a single melody, I found it to be powerful enough to make audiences feel like they're in Africa. The songs by Rice and John had additionally flowed nicely, and they helped the plot keep moving forward as if the film would suffer without them. Plus, the lyrics fit each other like a glove and had a great bounce to it all.

Finally, the voice acting, casting, characters, and character development were incredible!

I loved how the performers were able to throw themselves into their parts like they were born for them, incorporating emotion and personality that helped their characters be alive. They were even accompanied by handsomely creative dialogue.

The characters themselves were extremely admirable in every way. When it came to making sure that the characters were fun and intriguing, the production team and performers seriously didn't mess around. Simba and Scar in particular had awesome character development.

My personal favorite cast members and characters from the film are Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella as Simba, Nala, Scar, Mufasa, Timon, and Pumbaa. Lane and Sabella, might I add, stole the show any chance they got as Timon and Pumbaa, and the two characters had just about all of the funniest moments. Jeremy Irons brought excellent theatricality, personality, and humor to the role of Scar, and Scar himself showcased an incredible combination of a villain who's classical and three-dimensional. As for Broderick, Kelly, and Jones, all I can say is that the roles of Simba, Nala, and Mufasa were ones that no one but them could do.

In conclusion, "The Lion King (1994)" is one of Disney's greatest animated films of all-time, and it's one that's instantly worthy of being called a classic.

So, I rate "The Lion King (1994)" a solid five out of five stars.