Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. --Tom Keogh

How good-looking is the DVD restoration of Disney's popular animated film? Take a look at the serviceable but dull film clips incorporated in the plethora of extras and compare them to the vivid gorgeousness of the film presentation. This "special edition" also adds a 90-second song ("Morning Report") that originated in the lavish stage musical. To Disney's credit, the original theatrical version is also included, both restored and featuring two 5.1 soundtracks: Dolby Digital and a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, which does sound brighter. As with the Disney Platinum line, everything is thrown into the discs, except an outsider's voice (the rah-rahs of Disney grow tiresome at times). The excellent commentary from the directors and producer, originally on the laser disc, is hidden under the audio set-up menu.

The Most Incredible Disney Films EVER Made!!!

I can't describe how incredible this film was. I have wanted it for years and last year, on my 12th Birthday, my mum gave it to me and I was bloomin' thrilled!!!
Simba is the most adorable cub!!! He has a cute wee face, a cute wee voice, everything about him is so cute!!! I also loved Nala, a beautiful lioness who was best friends with Simba when they were cubs. After reuniting in the jungle, they find romance in each other's company! ADORABLE!!!

It was really upsetting when Scar told the lionesses about Simba and Mufasa's death. The devastated look on Sarabi's face really touched me, poor her!!! I also felt upset when Nala had tears down her face and she was nuzzling into her mother's paw. But the most upsetting and touching part that REALLY got to me was when Simba was trying to wake his dead dad up. He tugged at his ear and pushed him and desperately tried to call for help. He was so alone and started crying. Then he snuggeled underneath his father's massive paw and lay beside him. When I saw it on my B-Day, I cried!!!!!! An extremly touching film!!!

This is my kind of film; about a lion's destiny to become King and rule the Pridelands. Any Disney kid will love it. The adults will love Timon and Pumbaa! Boys will love the fierce fights and girls will love the love scenes between S + N [including me!!!]

The songs were absoloutely incredible!!!!!! My faves are "I Just Can't Wait to be King" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". I also enjoy "Be Prepared" and "Hakuna Matata"! This is were Disney songs are at their best!!!

So apart from Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure and Oliver and Company, this is my favourite Disney film with stunning animation, hilarious humour, touching father-son and mother-son relationships, heartstopping tragedies, sweet love and romance and cool action. I Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You HAVE to see it!!!!! If you haven't, you wouldn't know what good Disney films are like!!!!!
!!!!!!AMAZING!!!!!!

It was all great! But there is a problem with the Personality Profile Quiz in the Bonus Features.

I thought that having this version of The Lion King was great. I loved the new song that they updated into it, called "The Morning Report." A lot of the Bonus stuff was great, too. I enjoy exploring a lot of it. Except that, even though I checked it out in excited curiosity, too, I didn't like a lot of how the Personality Profile went. I love Personality Profiles, by the way. I am a fan of them. I think they're fun! It's fun to put people in a box as best as you can, but this Personality Profile was way off. Even with how Zazu describes you at the end, if you are most like a character that he has pasted as stars in the sky. And the Personality Profile doesn't have near enough Personality questions in it, either, to get you very accurately. Having lots and lots of questions in one game instead of just a few is the only way that you can come up with a very accurate assessment. That is what I know. The more questions are asked about what you are, that you try your best to answer, then the better and more accurately that this game that you play can put you in a box. It should also ask you and have you check off with your remote control with what you most, 2nd most, third most, etc., balanced between, and least are. And it should at least have about 100 Personality questions, to be so extremely accurate. And Zazu should have a lot more says for what you are, at the end, where he can even say a lot more what whatever is all that you checked off means that you all together correctly are. He even exaggerates how bad you are, on the one where you are most like Scar. Just because somebody tends to have a lot of the same problems that he does, doesn't mean that they are near as bad as him. Scar was like the devil! He was a Hitler in a lion's body. Besides, many people out in the World in many different ways tend to be bossy, unfeeling, impatient, intolerant, you name it, but it doesn't mean that most of them are near as bad as Scar. He was the most extreme version of it. So, I find a huge complaint about how bad that Zazu described that I was, when I averaged up at times on it to being most like Scar. I most definitely am not near as evil as Scar. I'm even a Christian, for Heaven's sake! But once I pick a lot of the Choleric type answers in the Personality questions that he asks me, Zazu (who narrates it) first calls me a bunch of names, and says that "I have an obsessive desire to rule the World, and that I didn't care what it would take to get there." Then he tells me that I am a huge troublemaker. Even to the law. Then he says that I deserve to be locked up, then says that I am most like Scar. It was not very nice of him. I averaged out to being most like Nala a few times, too, and a few times being most like Timon. But the way he described me then, too, was mostly definitely not me, and also some of it was even an exaggeration of how my answers mean that I am like. So, even how Zazu describes you at the end of the test is not very accurate, no matter who he says that you are most like. And I find that as a big complaint! And not only the questions it does ask, it should also ask what you from most to least are in the whole list of Personality Types that even come out of the four basic ones, called "Melancholy, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Sanguine." And if it did do it that way, then it should have two seperate levels in the same game, which is where one is all your Personality Strengths, and the other one is all of your Personality Weaknesses. Then Zazu can be able to tell you at the end who you are most like in the Strengths, and who you are most like in the Weaknesses. This Personality Profile needs a whole lot of improvements. So, I wish that whoever put out this special addition would do it in the way that I wish that they would. If they did, then it would be so much more awesome and exciting. And I wish that every movie released out there would have a huge Personality Test on it, in the way here that I said that I wanted them to be like, to even tell me who in the movie that I am most like in the Strengths, and who I am most like in the Weaknesses. Also, on this, I find it a complaint, too, that the Personality Test couldn't be quiet. I didn't like it very much that there was a repeatitive stupid jungle music on all of it, and that Zazu had to name out all of the questions on the page, when anybody who reads it can read.

Beautiful master piece

Ever since "The Lion King" came out in theaters back in June of 1994, it's been a tremendous phenomenon. When I first heard the chant of "Naaaaants Svenya Ma bagi, thi-baba" (start of Circle of Life), I was hooked. I've seen it 10............maybe more on Video Tape and now on DVD with my kids. It teaches young children and adults the cruel world in which we live in such an artistic and fabulous way. Children can understand the tragedies of life, perhaps a little easier when it is depicted with animated characters that they can relate with.
The "The Lion King" boasts a top-notch cast of voice actors, great music, no, make that fantastic music, starting with the opening number -- clearly inspired by music of Africa. There are also endearing characters in the form of Pumba and Timon, Scar -- the conniving 2nd in line to the throne, majestic King Mufasa, and the snivelling trio of hyenas.
The "The Lion King" is very entertaining. The animation, music, and dialog also deserve full points. It will always remain for me and the kids' one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Grab it if you can.