Review of The Lion King (1994) by Tony G — 11 Aug 2016

As soon as that first image of a budding sunrise on the horizon appears on the screen and you hear that tribal yell, you know you're about to watch something spectacular. Today, it stands as one of many legendary scenes from what is the epitome of a true Disney masterpiece.

Part "National Geographic" expedition, part epic drama, upon its release it was unlike anything ever released in the animation industry. With a level of artistry in which almost any still image could be mistaken for a landscape painting, the spectacles induce wonder, and the music strikes with a powerful chord as vocals of African chants supplement a riveting score by Hans Zimmer.

Yet the movie accomplishes something amazing in an entirely different aspect. Despite its grandeur and awe-inspiring production, it manages to live and breathe in an affecting, original script that philosophizes ideas of death, duty, and coming-of-age.

The jokes still hit, and the musical numbers have evolved into no less than modern pop culture anthems. What I'm trying to say is it's pretty good.