The Lion King (Disney Special Platinum Edition)

(no.. I'm not some little kid ranting on(unless 20 is little).. just... love Lion King so much...)


Lion King - Not just Bambi in the Jungle!   March 26, 2001
Disney's Lion King looked to me at first glance to be very similar to Bambi - the storyline is complimentary. Look at the facts. Simba's father dies in Lion King. Bambi's mother dies in Bambi. Bambi returns to take his father's place as ruler. Simba does the same thing. But on second glance, there is much more here than Bambi. Bambi only has the motivation to return because of his girlfriend, Faline. Simba, however, has Nala - and the revenge he eventually takes on Scar for killing his father. Simba thus has a deeper, more well developed character than Bambi. The music is very good and compliments the movie well. Simba starts as wanting to be king, then is forced out of the role by Scar, then is placed back into it by Nala and Rafiki. This gives him a much more complex character than Bambi. Wanting to escape from reality might be fun for a while, but your responsibilities eventually catch up with you.


Maybe the best child's film ever created!   March 6, 2001
 11 out of 19 found this review helpful

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)


Beautiful movie!   February 24, 2001
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

This has to be the most beautiful (animation wise) film Disney has created yet. The opening sequence is stunning, with a very African feel and a wonderful song, and it really sets the mood.

The characters are great, and the voices were definitely well cast. Simba is your typical little boy -- bratty, self-centered, cute. He and Nala remind me so much of kids; they're more human than most of Disney's human characters.

Scar is my favorite Disney villain. He's funny, too, and the song "Be Prepared" cracked me up -- the hyenas dancing in the background was ridiculously funny. Mufasa is a great father figure.

The stampede scene was very powerful; I cried when Mufasa died. Some people might find Timon and Pumbaa annoying; I think they're hysterical. Hakuna Matatta (sp?) remains one of my favorite songs, along with every other song in this movie.

The ending is intense, to say the least, but I still liked it. I've been getting sick of cheesy happy Disney movies, and the Lion King's raw, violent ending fit well with the wild African theme.

The Lion King and Mulan are my two favorite Disney movies (yes, even more than Beauty and the Beast!). The animation is stunning, the songs are wonderfully done, and this is one of Disney's best movies ever.


A magical Disney film, on par with its best   January 28, 2001
 0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Who could watch this and not love it? It is a very lovely story, with the traditional breathtaking animation Disney is ever-so-famous for, as well as an impeccable cast of voices, among who's you'll find Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, Matthew Broderick and James Earl Jones. It's a very pretty film with a touching sad side to it, but that side is beautifully contrasted with the humor of perhaps the most comical duo to hit the screen in the toon world- Timon and Pumbaa. Whenever they're on screen you can be sure you'll have a fun time laughing.

Granted, this isn't a much of a kid's movie because it is quite violent (by Disney's standards) but in now way does that make this any less enjoyable for those who watch it.

As everyone knows, there's more to a film than just settings and characters. It will all fall flat if it's not supported by pretty and/or catchy songs. The Lion King has several of those that fit in both categories. Especially "The Circle of Life", "Hakuna Matata", and "Can you feel the love tonight?"

Add all that together and you have one of Disney's best movies to date.