movie review about the lion king

The Lion King

My generation grew up mourning the death of Bambi's mother. Now comes " The Lion King ," with the death of Mufasa, the father of the lion cub who will someday be king. The Disney animators know that cute little cartoon characters are not sufficient to manufacture dreams. There have to be dark corners, frightening moments, and ancient archetypes like the crime of regicide. " The Lion King ," which is a superbly drawn animated feature, is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children.

The film is the latest in a series of annual media events from Disney, which with " The Little Mermaid ," " Beauty and the Beast " and " Aladdin " reinvented its franchise of animated feature films. The inspiration for these recent films comes from the earliest feature cartoons created by Walt Disney himself, who in movies like "Dumbo," with the chaining of Mrs. Jumbo, and " Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ," with its wicked stepmother, tapped into primal fears and desires. Later Disney films drifted off into the neverland of innocuous "children's movies," which were harmless but not very exciting. These most recent four animated features are once again true "family films," in that they entertain adults as well as children.

" The Lion King " is the first Disney animated feature not based on an existing story. In another sense, it is based on half the stories in classical mythology. It tells the tale of the birth, childhood and eventual manhood of Simba, a lion cub. The cub's birth is announced in the opening sequence of the movie, called " The Circle of Life," which is an evocative collaboration of music and animation to show all of the animals of the African veld gathering to hail their future king. The cute little cub is held aloft from a dramatic spur of rock, and all his future minions below hail him, in a staging that looks like the jungle equivalent of a political rally.

Of course this coming together of zebra and gazelle, monkey and wildebeest, fudges on the uncomfortable fact that many of these animals survive by eating one another. And all through " The Lion King " the filmmakers perform a balancing act between the fantasy of their story and the reality of the jungle. Early scenes show Simba as a cute, trusting little tike who believes everyone loves him. He is wrong. He has an enemy - his uncle Scar, the king's jealous brother, who wants to be king himself one day.

Villains are often the most memorable characters in a Disney animated film, and Scar is one of the great ones, aided by a pack of yipping hyenas who act as his storm troopers. With a voice by Jeremy Irons , and facial features suggestive of Irons' gift for sardonic concealment, Scar is a mannered, manipulative schemer who succeeds in bringing about the death of the king.

Worse, he convinces Simba that the cub is responsible, and the guilty little heir slinks off into the wastelands. (The movie makes a sly reference to a famous earlier role by Irons. When Simba tells him, "You're so weird," he replies "You have no idea," in exactly the tone he used in " Reversal of Fortune .") It is an unwritten law that animated features have comic relief, usually in the form of a duet or trio of goofy characters who become buddies with the hero. This time they are a meerkat named Timon (voice by Nathan Lane ) and a warthog named Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), who cheer up Simba during his long exile.

The movie has a large cast of other colorful characters, including a hornbill named Zazu ( Rowan Atkinson ), who is confidant and advisor to King Mufasa ( James Earl Jones ). And there are the three hyenas (with voices by Whoopi Goldberg , Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings ), who are a tumbling, squabbling, yammering team of dirty tricks artists.

The early Disney cartoons were, of course, painstakingly animated by hand. There has been a lot of talk recently about computerized animation, as if a computer program could somehow create a movie. Not so. Human animators are responsible for the remarkably convincing portrayals of Scar and the other major characters, who somehow combine human and animal body language. But computers did assist with several remarkable sequences, including a stampede in which a herd seems to flow past the camera.

Despite the comic relief from the hyenas, the meerkat and the warthog, " The Lion King " is a little more subdued than "Mermaid," "Beauty" and "Aladdin." The central theme is a grim one: A little cub is dispossessed, and feels responsible for the death of its father.

An uncle betrays a trust.

And beyond the gently rolling plans of the great savanna lies a wasteland of bones and ashes. Some of the musical comedy numbers break the mood, although with the exception of "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata," the songs in " The Lion King " are not as memorable as those in "Mermaid" and "Beauty." Basically what we have here is a drama, with comedy occasionally lifting the mood. The result is a surprising seriousness; this isn't the mindless romp with cute animals that the ads might lead you to expect. Although the movie may be frightening and depressing to the very young, I think it's positive that " The Lion King " deals with real issues. By processing life's realities in stories, children can prepare themselves for more difficult lessons later on. The saga of Simba, which in its deeply buried origins owes something to Greek tragedy and certainly to "Hamlet," is a learning experience as well as an entertainment.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

• Jeremy Irons as Scar
• Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi
• Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Young Simba
• Matthew Broderick as Adult Simba
• James Earl Jones as Mufasa

Directed by

• Rob Minkoff
• Roger Allers

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‘the lion king’: film review.

THR reviews 'The Lion King': Jon Favreau's photorealistic computer-animated remake of the Disney favorite features a voice cast that includes Donald Glover, Beyonce, James Earl Jones and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

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There has perhaps never been as surefire a hit film as this new version of The Lion King . The original 1994 animated feature was a global smash, the 1997 musical stage adaptation now stands as the third longest-running show in Broadway history and its more than 20 spinoff international productions have grossed more than $8 billion.

The property serves, in other words, as the ideal Disney template, a cash cow not to be messed with. What this means for the new big-screen take on the story, which is entirely animated but to such a realistic degree that it could practically pass as a live-action film, is that it may be the most conservative, least surprising, least risk-taking film of the current century. Nearly a scene-by-scene remake of the original, albeit a half-hour longer, it serves up the expected goods, which will be duly gobbled up by audiences everywhere like the perfectly prepared corporate meal it is.

Release date: Jul 19, 2019

With a property as time-tested as this one and generations who regard the appealing story as a childhood touchstone, it would be foolhardy to rock the boat. Who’s going to object other than curmudgeons and resisters to the advent of Disney taking over the global entertainment universe?

After the initial fascination and moments of enchantment in watching the extraordinarily lifelike animals talking and relating to one another as human beings do, you begin to get used to it to the extent that it’s no longer surprising, which in turn allows the familiarity of it all to begin flooding in. The film’s aesthetic caution and predictability begin to wear down on the entire enterprise in the second half — the original animated Lion King ran 88 minutes, while this one lasts two hours. You can feel the difference.

In a moviegoing environment where originality is shunned and the familiar is embraced like comfort food, this Lion King will rule, just as it always has. The ostensible creative reason for the update is the advance in computer animation, yielding imagery so realistic that the result is called “virtual cinematography,” meaning the animals and dramatic African backdrops indisputably look like the real thing, as if shot on location.

Overseeing this protean effort are the great veteran cinematographer Caleb Deschanel and visual effects supervisors Robert Legato and Adam Valdez, who previously collaborated on Disney’s The Jungle Book. The highest praise one could bestow upon their labors for director Jon Favreau is that all the images look real, which they really do; there’s even one shot with pretend camera glare.

The character animation is similarly spot-on, to the extent that you very quickly accept it as a norm that can be taken for granted; absorption of new technology gets easier by the moment now. Lording over all is the titular royal Mufasa ( James Earl Jones , commanding as ever at 88), who has long kept his malcontent brother, Scar, at bay, and hopes to do so long enough to allow young son Simba (energetically voiced by Donald Glover ) to mature into monarchical status.

As often happens, the villain here is arguably the most interesting figure. Some of this is attributable to the vocal work of Chiwetel Ejiofor , who mixes threat with an equal measure of what sounds like genuine world-weariness. His Scar is an outcast made to look a bit scrawny and more ragged and unkempt than his brawny brother; this is a lion who has lived in defeat and disregard for so long that he suspects he may well be done for. Still, he harbors enough malevolent resentfulness that he’s able to come back to sinister life with the right opportunity.

But so much for multifaceted characterization. There are some beguiling enough moments of playfulness between Simba and the young female Sarabi (Alfre Woodard), as well as pro forma comedy involving Seth Rogen’s warthog Pumbaa and John Oliver’s goofy hornbill Zazu. Still, it soon becomes apparent that Jeff Nathanson’s new screenplay will be following very closely in the footsteps of its predecessor, leaving the remake to function largely as a more physically vivid version of the same story.

The more pronounced realism delivers some scenes with a shade more power, notably the sight of the elephants’ graveyard and Simba’s multiple (too many, actually) encounters with the ever-prowling, teeth-baring hyenas; the new vividness no doubt accounts for the shift from a G to PG rating. There’s a spiffy cover of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” sung by Beyonce (who voices Simba’s childhood friend Nala) and Glover, along with a new Beyonce number, “Spirit.” Perhaps the greatest special effect of all is the luster of the lions’ fur and coats.

But by and large, very few remakes, other than Gus Van Sant’s shot-by-shot reproduction of Psycho , have adhered as closely to their original versions as this one does. Everything here is so safe and tame and carefully calculated as to seem predigested. There’s nary a surprise in the whole two hours.

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'the lion king': first reactions from the premiere.

Production company: Fairview Entertainment Distributor: Disney Voice cast: Donald Glover, Seth Rogan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric Andre, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Beyonce, James Earl Jones Director: Jon Favreau Screenwriter: Jeff Nathanson, based on The Lion King screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton Producers: Jon Favreau, Jeffrey Silver, Karen Gilchrist Executive producers: Tom C. Peitzman, Julie Taymor, Thomas Schumacher Director of photography: Caleb Deschanel Production designer: James Chinlund Editors: Mark Livolsi, Adam Gerstel Music: Hans Zimmer Original songs: Tim Rice, Elton John Visual effects supervisors: Robert Legato, Adam Valdez Casting: Sarah Halley Finn

Rated PG, 118 minutes

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Parents' guide to, the lion king (1994).

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 92 Reviews
• Kids Say 202 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Musical king-of-the-beasts blockbuster is powerful, scary.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Lion King is a celebrated Disney musical starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Simba, a lion cub who's heir to the Pride Lands (he's voiced by Matthew Broderick in later scenes). It has several sequels and spin-offs, including a Broadway musical and a live-action remake. The movie…

Why Age 6+?

Sharp-toothed hyenas organize into a cruel, militaristic army. There's no blood

While there's nothing in the movie itself, this is one of Disney's biggest block

"Jeez," "stupid," "idiot," "dumb," "ugly," and "butt."

Flirting between betrothed characters who eventually become mates.

Any Positive Content?

Focuses on the ideas of family, love, and sacrifice. It's important to take resp

Simba learns to face his problems and how to be a good leader. He demonstrates c

Though set in a fictional African kingdom, the film is directed by two White men

Lessons about family and responsibility.

Parents need to know that The Lion King is a celebrated Disney musical starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas as Simba, a lion cub who's heir to the Pride Lands (he's voiced by Matthew Broderick in later scenes). It has several sequels and spin-offs, including a Broadway musical and a live-action remake . The movie offers messages about hope, love, sacrifice, and family responsibility. And characters demonstrate great life skills, such as Simba's courage in facing his past, Nala's (voiced by Niketa Calame-Harris as a young cub and Moira Kelly as an adult) perseverance as she endures a difficult period, and the humility passed down through kings by Simba's father, Mufasa ( James Earl Jones ). But the movie leans a bit darker than other Disney animations, ( spoiler alert! ) notably including the death of Mufasa, who's killed by a stampede of wildebeests and whose body is found by a distraught young Simba. Expect plotted murders of family members and bloodthirsty hyenas that threaten to eat the young heroes. In fact, there's lots of talk of animals/characters eating one another (though no blood ever appears in the film). The hyenas also militarize into a marching army during an ominous song number. Language includes name-calling such as "stupid," "idiot," and "ugly." Though lionesses are portrayed as capable hunters, and the cast includes some notable Black actors (Jones, Whoopi Goldberg , Robert Guillaume , and others), villains unfortunately draw from Black, gay, and disabled stereotypes. A central romance is portrayed through flirting and talk of marriage.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Violence & Scariness

Sharp-toothed hyenas organize into a cruel, militaristic army. There's no blood in the film, but a lion swipes at another lion's face and leaves behind red claw marks. Tense confrontations, and an elephant graveyard is creepy. A group of hyenas chases and threatens to eat two cubs—they catch a bird character and put him in a boiling pot (no lasting harm). Lots of talk in general around animals/characters eating one another. Animals eat crunchy bugs and a wriggling grub and slurp worms with relish. ( Spoiler alert! ) In the film's most harrowing scene, a father lion is trampled to death by a stampede of wildebeest after saving his cub. Sad scene as the cub discovers his father's dead body, and grief haunts him throughout the second half of the film. Another lion is responsible for his brother's death and later tries to kill his nephew.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

While there's nothing in the movie itself, this is one of Disney's biggest blockbusters and has myriad merchandise tie-ins, including video games, toys, sequels, and spin-offs (even a Broadway musical).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Focuses on the ideas of family, love, and sacrifice. It's important to take responsibility, especially when people are depending on you. Running away from your problems isn't the answer.

Positive Role Models

Simba learns to face his problems and how to be a good leader. He demonstrates courage, perseverance, and humility. His parents are selfless and loving. Nala is independent and a strong hunter, though she still defers to Simba as her leader. It is worth noting that villains border on Black and gay stereotypes—see Diverse Representations for details.

Diverse Representations

Though set in a fictional African kingdom, the film is directed by two White men. Among the three screenwriters, two are White women, and the third is a White man. Main characters Simba, Mufasa, and Scar are male lions. In secondary roles, lionesses hunt and are portrayed as strong, but they don't have any real power. The cast has a bit of diversity: Most actors are White, but Black actors (including James Earl Jones and Whoopi Goldberg) voice key characters such as Mufasa, mentor Rafiki, hyena Shenzi, young Nala, and Simba's mother, Sarabi. Though the film's characters are all animals, colorism can be seen: Scar and his hyena minions are painted with black manes and darker fur than those of the light-colored heroes. The gray/black-colored hyenas can also be associated with Black stereotypes, as they're portrayed as unintelligent, violent, and grasping for handouts. In addition, Scar's mannerisms could be associated with gay/disabled villain stereotypes. His lines include "I shall have to practice my curtsy" and are delivered in a more effeminate drawl than those of other characters. His eyes are also darker-ringed, suggesting eyeliner, and he has a facial difference.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update .

Educational Value

Where to watch, videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (92)
• Kids say (202)

Based on 92 parent reviews

This movie is perfect!

What's the story.

THE LION KING is the story of Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a child and Matthew Broderick as an adult), the cub of Mufasa ( James Earl Jones ), the king of the jungle. Simba "just can't wait to be king." But his Uncle Scar ( Jeremy Irons ), bitterly jealous of Mufasa, wants to be king, so he arranges for Mufasa to be killed in a stampede and makes Simba think he's responsible. Simba runs away and finds friends in Pumbaa the warthog ( Ernie Sabella ) and Timon the meerkat ( Nathan Lane ), who advise him that the best philosophy is "hakuna matata" (no worries). Simba grows up thinking that he's escaped his past, but then his childhood friend Nala (Niketa Calame-Harris/ Moira Kelly ) finds him and tells him that, under Scar's leadership, the pride has suffered badly.

Is It Any Good?

One of Disney's biggest hits, this excellent film has echoes of Shakespeare, bringing to mind the plots of both Richard III and Hamlet . The Lion King wasn't just a movie but a marketing phenomenon: This blockbuster was the highest-grossing film of 1994. Of course kids won't know—or care—about that; they'll just be enthralled by the memorable songs and great characters.

The scene in which Mufasa is trampled to death is both sad and genuinely scary. And some of the fights between animals later in the movie can be frightening, too. But the lesson Simba learns—that you have to stand up to your problems instead of running away from them—is a solid one. Just be aware that the animation does unfortunately slip into stereotypes, whether through colorism (villains are painted with black hair and gray fur, unlike the light-colored heroes), or in the way that Scar has effeminate mannerisms and a facial difference (falling into gay- and disabled-villain cliches). Depending on who you're watching with, these subtle but prejudiced creative decisions might be worth a discussion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about facing your problems instead of running from them, as Simba does in The Lion King . Why doesn't the idea of "hakuna matata" or "no worries" always work? Can anyone get through life without a little worry and conflict?

Talk about the violence and scariness in this movie . What was the most disturbing part? How would the movie be different without the intense moments? How did music and other factors contribute to the intense scenes?

How do the characters in The Lion King demonstrate courage , perseverance , and humility ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 15, 1994
• On DVD or streaming : October 4, 2011
• Cast : Jeremy Irons , Matthew Broderick , James Earl Jones , Jonathan Taylor Thomas
• Directors : Rob Minkoff , Roger Allers
• Inclusion Information : Black actors, Indigenous actors
• Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Friendship , Music and Sing-Along , Wild Animals
• Character Strengths : Courage , Humility , Perseverance
• Run time : 89 minutes
• MPAA rating : G
• Awards : Academy Award - Other Category Winner , Academy Award - Other Category Nominee , BAFTA - BAFTA Winner , BAFTA - BAFTA Nominee , Golden Globe - Golden Globe Award Winner , Kids' Choice Award
• Last updated : September 10, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The Lion King

Timon & Pumbaa

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride

The Lion Guard

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• Perseverance
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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The Lion King Reviews

It’s the largest and most cinematic of Disney’s films, the animation is beyond breathtaking, and its notions on hiding from your past are admirable and poignant...

Full Review | Jun 18, 2024

The film has an air of hollow grandeur. The music and songs are mostly pretty awful, the story single-stranded, and Scar's evil hyena henchmen hard to tell apart. Worst of all, the lions often look not so much noble as smug.

Full Review | Mar 1, 2024

As spectacular as anything Disney has ever done.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 1, 2024

From the gorgeous animation to the beautiful score, from the emotionally compelling story to the life journey Simba goes through, from the chill-inducing tearful moments to the loud laughs… The Lion King is just perfect. A masterpiece!

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Jul 24, 2023

While there have been Disney films that have impressed and succeeded in certain areas, it is incredibly rare to find a film with the all-around talent and consistency of The Lion King.

Full Review | Jan 14, 2023

The Lion King is short on humor, long on melodrama and AWOL on fun. It was intended to be important and is pretentious instead.

Full Review | Dec 22, 2021

Disney' newest animated feature is an explosion of color and emotion. This tale of a lion cub growing up to avenge his father's death is filled with primal themes and deep feelings.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Dec 22, 2021

The Lion King is classic, first-rate Disney, an animated musical for all ages that will roar its way to huge grosses and take its place among Disney's best.

The Lion King, Walt Disney's 32nd full-length animated film, is a glorious hodgepodge, a jumble of styles, emotions and ideas that turn into something wonderful. This is Disney animation at its best -- and at its most sentimental.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Dec 22, 2021

The Lion King boasts a top-notch story, excellent characterizations, instantly hummable tunes, and some of the best artwork and animation the company's ever done. It's a classic from the opening sequence.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Dec 21, 2021

Make no mistake, the magnitude of the achievement here far outweighs any shortcomings. The Lion King is both populist blockbuster and royal treat.

Full Review | Dec 21, 2021

This often dark tale about a lion cub holds real emotional resonance.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 11, 2021

A certain blockbuster and a future classic, The Lion King is a scrumptiously delightful moviegoing experience.

Full Review | Jan 11, 2021

A stunning artistic achievement that helped create serious critical awareness for feature-length animation.

Full Review | Original Score: 10/10 | Sep 14, 2020

'The Lion King' is arguably up for one of the best films of all time. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jul 15, 2019

The Lion King isn't just the best film of the Disney Renaissance but the best animated film of all time!

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jul 10, 2019

The best of Disney animation. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | May 2, 2019

Scar is I think the best Disney villain that we've ever had.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Feb 20, 2019

Simply the pinnacle of Disney animation.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Dec 14, 2018

At this point in animation history, we can expect no less than perfection from Disney, and they deliver.

Full Review | Apr 13, 2018