If you enjoy reading my reviews, please follow my blog :) First of all, this is (obviously) a review that discusses spoilers. I mean, who hasn’t seen this movie yet? If by some chance you're one of those unlucky people, stop here. Spend the next hour and a half watching this animated masterpiece and come back later. I will still avoid mentioning important details because I tend to do that, and The Lion King has so many things worthy of praise that I don’t really need to go into depth about spoilers. So, in case you haven't noticed it through my Twitter or occasional mentions in other reviews, The Lion King is one of my favorite films ever (animated or not)! I rewatched it for the 312358th time this last weekend, and I cried more than when I was a child. That’s how much this movie means to me. The feeling of nostalgia plus the strong emotions throughout the film are what make me cry. I literally cried (waterfalls) in four (!) different scenes. The opening sequence (Circle of Life) filled my eyes with nostalgic tears. Mufasa’s tragic moment obviously wrecked me; it's one of the most emotionally powerful scenes in cinema history. Simba receiving the “remember who you are” speech from Mufasa in the clouds is incredibly inspirational and therefore worthy of some sobbing. Finally, one of the last scenes, Simba climbing his way to the top of Pride Rock with Hans Zimmer’s score, left me absolutely devastated. And I want to talk about that last aspect: the score. It's one of the most important technical parts of a film, in my opinion. It can transform an “okay” scene into something magical or even something pretty terrible, depending on what kind of music it is. Consequently, it can make a “good” movie turn into a “great” one. Hans Zimmer is one of my favorite composers ever. His soundtracks are always filled with such an epic vibe. Even if the film itself isn’t that good, his scores are still able to elevate it in some way. The Lion King has one of his most memorable scores because it's so emotionally compelling, even in the quietest moments. During the stampede sequence, the score doesn’t give you a break. Its fast rhythm and constantly growing music keep any viewer on edge, waiting for it to be over. Then, when Simba descends and approaches his dad, the score is very subtle. Completely opposite of the previous grand sound. It’s that nuance plus the impact of the scene itself that make me cry. In the last scene I mentioned above, it's solely the score that brings in those tear-inducing feelings. If Simba climbed Pride Rock with no soundtrack, it would just be a good ending. However, from the moment that the music begins, it instantly turns that sequence into an epic finale. The slow-motion walk to the top, the immersive score, Simba’s roar … I'm crying again! The animation is some of Disney’s best work. It’s no accident that the Disney Renaissance Era (1989-1999), which was a return to form for Disney, has the highest quality animation in its history, and many of the memorable movies that marked everyone’s childhood came from that period. Its expressiveness and ease of making animals emote elevates the story and its characters. There's no need for any kind of dialogue when you can see how the characters are reacting and understand what they’re feeling. The wide shots are beautiful to look at and worthy of being anyone’s wallpaper even today. The songs are remarkable and influenced an entire generation. Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Circle of Life, Be Prepared, Hakuna Matata … Every single song is someone's favorite. The voice work is perfect. James Earl Jones gives such a great vocal performance that even when discussing his biggest role, Darth Vader isn’t the obvious choice. Jeremy Irons and his raspy voice elevate Scar as the villainous character. If you close your eyes and only hear every character’s voice, without having watched the film previously, you can easily identify who’s the “bad guy”, and that’s unbelievably good. Everyone else is amazing, but these two gentlemen are astonishing, and they deserve to be remembered forever as the voices of these iconic roles. Nevertheless, in the end, the two most important things about every movie always matter: story and characters. The Lion King has a particularly compelling screenplay, one that teaches its viewers how to handle loss, but also how to grow up and overcome our worst fears. It’s true that most people cry watching this film, but those same people are filled with joy by the end because they accompanied Simba’s journey. From being a reckless and innocent cub to becoming the king that everyone needed, while also making his father extremely proud. Even though it’s a very tragic movie, Timon and Pumbaa are two hilarious characters that keep bringing some sense of happiness by delivering some well-needed laughs. Their laid-back lifestyle is something that everyone desires, but when you have responsibilities, you can’t just hide from them. You must learn how to be what everyone needs you to be, without losing the essence of who you are. It’s a masterpiece! It doesn’t matter if it’s an animated film. It doesn’t matter if it was “made for kids”. People need to stop looking at animated films as something childish that only children can watch while parents do something else. If parents watched this kind of inspirational animated movies as well, maybe the world would be a better place. The Lion King is one of my favorite films ever, and it’s undeniably one of Disney’s best original movies. From the gorgeous animation to the beautiful score, from the emotionally compelling story to the life journey Simba goes through, from the tearful moments to the loud laughs … The Lion King is just perfect. Hopefully, its “live-action” remake will keep its essence and deliver those feelings again. Rating: A+

Source on TMDB