Review of The Lion King (1994) by Jon T — 27 Mar 2014

The fortunes of Disney's animation department resurged drastically with the spectacular successes of THE LITTLE MERMAID, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and ALADDIN. However, all three of these films were eventually dwarfed by 1994's THE LION KING, which not only became the highest-grossing movie of its year, earning more than $312 million domestically, it even proved popular enough to spawn an equally successful Broadway production.

THE LION KING features unsurpassed animation and an even more impressive soundtrack; the songs are by Elton John and Tim Rice and the evocative African-themed score by Hans Zimmer. Equally pleasing are the vocal characterizations, namely by those of James Earl Jones and especially Jeremy Irons as the story's villain, Scar.

The story is basically a retreading of the environmental and emotional issues addressed in Disney's BAMBI, but it's well told with just the right amount of emotional punch. As with that film, THE LION KING also addresses the issue of a parent's death; here, however, it is a much more prominent element.

The darkly dramatic sequences are somehow impeccably balanced by sidesplitting antics of comedy, most of which comes from a fast-talking meerkat and flatuent warthog duo named Timon and Pumbaa. It's really not hard to see why THE LION KING was such a huge film; it remains arguably one of Disney's finest.

The only (minor) jarring moment in the movie is a shift in artistic style during young Simba's boastful musical number at an early point in the film -- it only happens for three minutes (and it IS a lively, fun song), but the music-video presentation of it feels out of place with the rest of the darkly dramatic atmosphere.

Yet that is hardly detrimental to THE LION KING's overall entertainment value or artistic quality. It's still a magnificent crowning achievement for Disney.