Rating: A+
Disney's The Lion King brought a whole new generation into the world of heart-crushing, soul destroying feelings over a death in an animated movie. Mufasa’s death (I would say spoiler alert but I mean, c’mon) to me is one of the most emotionally heart-wrenching pieces of animated cinema next to the death of Bambi’s mum - the feels are copious. So when I was given The Lion King to review, of course I jumped at the chance.
Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, Disney’s 1994 animated classic follows the journey of African lion Simba (Matthew Broderick) as he tries to navigate the world and his own inner turmoil following the death of his father king Mufasa (James Earl Jones), at the hands of his uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) who is after the throne of Pride Rock. Despite the fact that the characters are fully fledged animals, you do feel emotive towards their actions and own emotions. I find this to be a lot of the charm of Disney movies both old and new, that they can make even inanimate objects relatable in situations that are still relevant to the plot.
Another large part of the appeal is the music. I dare say there isn’t a person at this university that doesn’t know the lyrics to Hakuna Matata (I hope). Time and time again, Disney creates memorable tunes that not only carry a sick beat but also a great message, certainly Hakuna Matata. I mean, “No Worries” is basically a staple New Zealand term.
Having to watch this film again brings me right back to my childhood of rewinding the VHS tape over and over and over again to watch The Lion King for the 7th time that day. Also, having the Disney ‘D’ tattooed on my ankle also means I’m somewhat obliged. But it’s never a chore returning to essentially my cinematic roots to take a journey with good ol’ Walt and his fantastic tales. On the off chance you haven’t seen this film, or even if you have, I urge you to see it/see it again. Hakuna Matata!