The Lion King (***)
review by Jon Waterman

One would be hard pressed to find a film that enthralls audiences of all ages as swiftly, completely and unmistakably as “The Lion King.” The majestic orchestration of the film’s main thematic song “Circle of Life” heightens as animals from all over the land culminate to Pride Rock for the great ceremony taking place. The emotions on their faces register nothing but awe and respect as they bow down to pay homage. The choir reaches the crescendo as the wise baboon raises the newborn lion cub, the son of the current king. Suddenly, the title slams onto the screen in big red letters against a solid black background and everyone watching is stuck to their chairs for the duration.

For those that haven’t seen the movie yet, the storyline goes like this. Mufasa, the king, had a son named Simba. The king’s brother, Scar, gets upset now that his next-in-line position for royalty has been pushed back to number two. Scar utilizes his intellect and some hyenas to devise a plan that will get rid of the current king and his successor. I won’t tell any more, because you already understand that the film (like all Disney fare) is essentially the struggle between good and evil.

Disney has a formula for making their pictures. Good versus evil; catchy, potentially award-winning songs; a love story; goofy characters for comic relief; etc. “The Lion King” plays off of that last one and takes it one important step further. The quirky characters, most notably Timon and Pumbaa, do provide plenty of laughs. What separates them from other film sidekicks is that they were alone at the start of the picture. The second (and third) banana status was acquired later out of actions stemming from their own personalities. Virtually none of the characters in the film are dependent on another (Timon and Pumbaa and the three hyenas always stick together). Each individual is simply that: individual. Giving each name a personality is key in making character motivations more realistic and in making the film more entertaining to watch.

The talented actors give nice, normal performances. James Earl Jones (as Mufasa), Jonathon Taylor Thomas (as young Simba) and Matthew Broderick (as grown Simba) are the most toned down despite the high-stature of their parts. On the border lie Robert Guillaume (as Rafiki, the wise baboon) and Nathan Lane (as Timon). They jump over the top every once in a while to get the joke across but they also know when subtle is best. Standing at the opposite end of the spectrum are Jeremy Irons (as Scar) and Ernie Sabella (as Pumbaa). The two of them never seem to get out of over-acting mode, which sometimes detracts from their appeal.

The film should be noted for the outstanding direction by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. Each shot works perfectly with the preceding and following shots. The symbolism included, young Simba stepping into his father’s paw print, for example, is simple enough for the young kids to understand, yet still powerful and poignant. The film is treated like an epic and looks more beautiful than many of Hollywood’s attempts.
“The Lion King” is not just one of the greatest animated films of all time; it’s simply one of the greatest films of all time. It is quite possibly the most cinematically conscious feature that Disney has ever produced. Outstanding artwork, unforgettable songs, fantastic acting, and an engrossing story make this film an instant classic.

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