If you haven't seen this film before, you're really missing out on an enjoyable film about life, love, tragedy, and fate. Sure, it's mostly based on Shakespeare and an almost exact copy of a familiar (and successful) anime series, but it's a tale that will make you want to see it again and again.

The film begins with an African sunrise and a parade of animals approaching a large rock formation - Pride Rock. A new circle of life has begun, and the King of the Pridelands, Mufasa, proudly awaits the presentation of his newborn son, Simba, to the rest of the kingdom as their future King. However, Scar, Mufasa's brother, is outraged that now his only nephew is heir to the throne (especially when he was second-in-line prior to Simba's birth) and he knows that the only way to get what he wants is to get rid of them both. Simba grows into a playful and curious prince who enjoys being with his best friend (and betrothed mate), Nala, but when Scar tells Simba of a place where only the bravest lions go, like every immature child, the young cub is eager to go, despite the fact that his father told him never to go into the dark areas of the land. Thankfully he is rescued before becoming hyena chow, but this only leads to tragedy and heartache.

Sent off into the edge of the kingdom after a terrible accident that Scar blamed on him, Simba runs into the desert, only to be saved by a couple of misfits - a warthog named Pumbaa and a meerkat named Timon - that teach him about "Hakuna Matata" and putting the past behind. Seasons change and time goes by, allowing Simba to grow into a handsome, carefree lion. When his childhood friend Nala accidentally finds him in a jungle, she tells him of what has happened back at home, especially now that his uncle Scar has taken over the land. However, their reunion leads to love . . . yet Simba refuses to return home to take back the kingdom that rightfully belongs to him.

The writing for this film is great - there's an equal sense of drama, adventure, comedy, and even some musical hilarity in between when needed. The voice cast is excellent - most especially James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Jeremy Irons as Scar, and Nathan Lane as Timon. The rest of the cast really was diverse and believable to their appropriate parts, so it really worked with the straight lines, dramatic tones and comedic gags. The animation is fluidly wonderful, with the special effects mixing in well with the amazing backdrops. It was as if you weren't experiencing a film set in the African savanna - you were there, watching as events took place.

The songs are unforgettable and beautifully set the mood of each scene they are in: "The Circle of Life" starts the film, introducing the protaganist and the main theme of life's natural cycle - birth, childhood, maturity, and death; "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" is a young Simba's fun tune of how he'll be once he takes the throne, which mainly deals with ordering people around and torturing his baby-sitter, Zazu the hornbill; "Be Prepared" is Scar's mantra - his evil plan to overtake both his brother and nephew is revealed to his hyena minions and he promises to give them whatever they wish (which is mainly food); "Hakuna Matata" has perfect timing, not only because it seems to add some comedic fun after such a horrible tragedy in SImba's young life, but also as Timon and Pumbaa's high point while they show the lion cub the ropes of their jungle paradise and tell a bit about themselves. and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" is a soft, calming song between reunited friends as they slowly follow their instincts and fall deeply in love, long forgetting their disgust for the idea of them being betrothed.

Even the music fits the African tone of the film - powerful when it is needed, chantful when setting up an important scene, and filled with sorrow when death is present. It's much better than the background music in the two Lion King sequels that followed. The fusion of a powerful story with the African background, chants and musical style . . . it's just awesome.

Now, although I love this movie to bits, I can't seem to give it a perfect score. It's not because I feel there's something wrong with it, but I feel that it is quite a copy of "Kimba the White Lion", a popular anime series from Japan. The story is a bit similar (a male lion cub born to be King of the African animals after the sudden loss of his father), and some of the characters are very similar (one lion has a scar on its eye, just like Scar does; Kimba has a bird companion and a lioness friend that soon becomes his mate, just like Zazu and Nala; there's probably more distinct similarities, but I haven't watched much of the anime yet. I'd like to, though!), but the biggest thing is that the names sound so closely alike (Also Kimba's original name in Japanese is "Leo", which means "lion", just as Simba is Swahili for "lion"). But I think other reviewers have mentioned these things already.

Still, despite the possible plagarism and such, The Lion King is an amazing film to behold. Buy it, watch the sequels, and enjoy!

My Rating - 3.5 Stars