Film

The Lion King (1994)

Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Following the inspired Aladdin and the emotionally involving Beauty and the Beast, Disney caps a hat trick of box-office hits with this breathtaking picture. The story hews to Joseph Campbell's maxim: first act, cosy; second act, despair; third act, redemption and transfiguration. As before, the camera treats the animated material like a feature film with humans - dollies, zooms, deploying the movements you'd expect in a James Cameron movie. How's the little lion king in waiting? Not too yucky. He has to learn the responsibilities of kingship, his father (Jones) explains, but Uncle Scar (Irons) tempts him off course. Villains and irresponsibles always have more fun. The hyenas have sharp one-liners to fledge their jive-ass flight (leader Whoopi Goldberg). The layabout beasts that Simba, Lion King Jr, hangs with in the wasted years are very funny. Pumbaa the farting warthog and Timon the meerkat still offer a viable hippie alternative. Songs variable. Animation staggering. A winner.

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