Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Disney at its best!
The Lion King is still today the best Disney movie ever made. Although Disney has tried to have repeat success with Lilo and Stitch and Atlantis: The Lost Empire, none of them can compare to this remarkable movie! The film opens into the amazing musical sequence "The Circle of Life", when young Simba is born. Him and his best friend Nala escape off into the outlands where the Pride Lands' enemies, the hyenas, await them. As they make a daring escape, Simba's evil uncle, Scar, is making a plan to take over the kingdom. Simba winds up running away to escape his father's mysterious death, which he thinks is his fault. He runs away and meets a lovable meerkat, Timon, and a funny but stupid warthog, Pumbaa. As he grows up, he meets his old best friend, Nala. When Simba makes his way back home to the Pride Lands, he is challenged to a fight with his uncle Scar. The climax of the movie begins as Simba takes his place as the one true king. With 5 award winning songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and tons of funny and lovable characters, The Lion King is still today the most majestic and stunning movie that Disney fans have ever seen. As it prepares for its IMAX release and Platinum Edition DVD release, it also prepares for another generation to laugh, cry, and enjoy The Lion King.
Rating: - Maybe the best child's film ever created!
This could be the best kid's film ever made! With its unique cast creating everlasting characters, this film is too good to be called Disney! Looking back, it is a masterpiece for anyone who enjoys Shakespeare like I do. In short, it's Hamlet for kids (if you don't want to hear the story, stop reading now!).Set in the African savannah, The Lion King is about a lion cub who will be king after his father dies. However, he has a cynical, sarcastic, and revengeful uncle named Scar who is dying to be king. Scar befriends three comical hyenas who are just in it for the food! He hatches a villainous plan to kill the cub Simba's dad, his brother Mufasa. His obsession helps him push Mufasa off a cliff, letting the lion fall to his doom by being trampled by a herd of wilebeest! I cried when I realized Mufasa was dead. The conniving Scar convinces his nephew that HE killed his own father! The emotionally wounded Simba runs out of the grasslands, where he is reluctantly rescued by a wisecracking meerkat named Timon and a simple-thinking, diplomatic warthog named Pumbaa (adults will especially like this witty duo). Simba ends up growing up with their customs of life: no worries! Years later, the lazy Simba is paired up again with his cubhood friend Nala. Soon they fall in love, and Nala tries to convince an adult Simba to face his past and challenge his uncle, who has taken over the kingdom, lying to his fellow lions that Simba is dead. Nala's urging doesn't change Simba's couch potato attitude. But then, a Zen-like mystical mandrill named Rafiki from the kingdom shows Simba the soul of his father, and Simba is determined to go back home and confront his past! But home is no longer welcoming. Since Scar took over, the green has died, and everything is barren desert. When Simba confronts Scar, everyone is overjoyed that Simba is back. But alas, Scar finds a way to trick Simba into telling them that "I killed him." Nala and the rest of the kingdom are crushed. Scar flips Simba to the edge of a cliff, just as he did Mufasa. But Simba jumps on Scar after finding out that Scar himself actually did the murder. He tells the other lions, who are outraged. Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, and all the lions and lionesses attack the hyenas. So, in the climax, Simba confronts Scar. Scar is defensive, and says "The hyenas are the real enemy." The hyenas are taken aback! Their friend Scar has betrayed them! Simba fights with Scar, and ends up throwing his uncle down to the hard rock. The weak Scar sees the hyenas: Scar: Ah. My friends. Shenzi (a hyena): Friends? I thought he said we were the enemy! Banzai (another one): That's what I heard. Ed? Ed (the dumb one): Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!! (laughs evilly) The hyenas eat Scar up in a pack. Finally, it is time. Simba walks up to the throne (Pride Rock) and roars majestically. He marries Nala, and they have a daughter. The Circle of Life has been completed! THE END The Lion King (1994)
Rating: - An unforgettable Disney Classic!
Those people that are saying Lion King was a rip-off of Kimba the Lion are only jaded anime otakus that seem to think American animation is always ripping off Japan.Not true. In fact, The Lion King was an adaption of the famous Shakespearian play Hamlet where the main character(which the play is titled off of)'s father, the King, is killed by his jealous brother. Told by his father's ghost to avenge his death, Hamlet does so, the similarity ends with Disney's trademark happy ending (in Hamlet, everyone dies at the end). This movie, though not my favorite of all the Disney animated features (that title belonging to The Hunchback of Notre Dame), is superbly made and has earned it's recognition as one of the greatest animated features of all time very easily. I'd go as far to say that if Walt were alive when it was released, he would have been proud. The music, acting, animation and overall story are all blended together seamlessly into a movie you have to be completely abnormal not to love. Buy this movie, you won't regret it, even after the upteenth viewing.
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