Movie Review

Lion King (1994) Movie Review

Instructions and Template

Name

Date

Synopsis

(Include a brief synopsis of the film or documentary. The length required will vary depending on the movie selected. The synopsis should be long enough to provide a clear picture of the story and themes, but not over-long or “fluffy”. In many cases (but not all), 100 words would be appropriate.)

This is an animated Disney movie that centers around a political power struggle amongst a pride of anthropomorphized lions. Simba is the mischievous son of Mufasa, the king of the lion pride. Mufasa is killed by his brother Scar, an evil and jealous lion, who then tricks Simba into believing he is responsible and fleeing into the wilderness, leaving Scar as the new king of the pride. Simba wanders in the wilderness, meets some guides/parent surrogates in the form of a wart hog and meerkat, and eventually returns to the pride to get justice, punish his father’s killer, and reclaim his rightful place as the Lion King.

Historical Context

(Include a brief discussion of the historical context of the story presented in the film or documentary. The length required will vary depending on the movie selected. This should be long enough to provide a clear picture of the context of the story and the ways in which these themes are relevant to the story. In many cases (but not all), 200 words would be appropriate. This is the section in which you might expect to use outside sources and references.)

This film is an animated movie about anthropomorphized animals and, as such, does not have an obvious “real life” historical context. However, the movie is a resetting of the Sundiata (there are a variety of alternate spellings, including “Sundjata”) myth that is present in many parts of north west Africa. The myth dates back to pre-colonial periods, at least the 13th century AD. The myth has been told in a variety of ways and in many places through history, but it originated in a region with a strong monarchical system where authority passed from father to son, or otherwise along male family lines. It was also a period in which Mali became an unbelievably powerful and wealthy kingdom surrounded by other powerful kingdoms, as a result of natural resources and of the trans-Saharan trade routes which enriched many peoples in North Africa and the Middle East.

Analysis of the Film

(Discuss the key themes of the film, arguments made or suggested, the perspectives presented, the issues addressed, and the skill with which they are handled, as well as the effectiveness of storytelling, etc. Approximately 300 words.)

The film uses animation and child-friendly storytelling techniques to retell a myth about political succession, family intrigue, and the conflict of good and evil. The setting is pre-colonial in the most extreme sense: there are no people at all, and the world is ruled by lions who represent both the heights of nobility and the depths of depravity. The differences between good and evil in the story are distinct and easily identifiable. Damaged souls are represented by damaged physiognomies. The main villain, Scar, is even named for his physical deformity. The henchmen (incompetent and comedic though they may be) are represented by the oddly formed hyenas, who’s appearance has made them the villain themselves in many African myths. Despite the fact that they are the bad guys, and despite their natural ugliness, they also represent a sort of “natural” justice in that they recognize Scar’s ultimate evil and betrayal and triumph over it and him, even on the outskirts of order and of the pride lands.

The storyline also represents African religious sensibilities and a cyclical understanding of history in a very explicit way. “The Circle of Life” is one of the key songs in the piece, setting up both Simba’s claim to the throne and concurrent rivalry with Scar (and thus the need for Scar to murder Mufasa and get rid of Simba) and the birth of Simba’s own son, restoring the family line, celebrating the return of order and balance to the pride lands, and assuring the orderly passing on of political power. During the reprise of the song, Mufasa looks down on his grandchild and the continuation of his lineage from the sky. Additionally, proper political authority comes not just by blood (if the only requirement was blood ties, Scar would have been an appropriate leader) but through the approval of priests (the shaman baboon) and of the gods or nature, in a pantheistic way, as demonstrated by the offering of the baby lions to the sky, followed by dramatic lighting, dramatic music, dramatic vistas, and the acceptance of new political leadership by the entire animal community (even those who are preyed upon by the lions).

The movie is entertaining as a child’s film, even without an understanding of African history (it is currently being remade, on its 25th anniversary): it has catchy songs and entertaining animal sidekicks. But viewing the film in light of the Sundiata myth provides a clearer understanding of the goals of the filmmakers and even of the worldview of the original storytellers, despite being distorted by a millennia of repetition and by a Hollywood glaze of cutesy, anthropomorphized animals.

Bibliography

(Provide a Turabian format bibliography for the Movie Review. This should include the Movie itself and any other materials that you use in preparing the assignment (most likely you will only use sources in the Historical Context section. The citation provided is in the proper format. If you have other questions, please refer to the Turabian Quick Guide available on Blackboard and follow up with your instructor. If you make specific reference to sources, or include a direct quote, the citations must be in Turabian format footnotes.)