Why The Lion King is Overrated
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- An unpopular opinion I've held for quite some time, is that The Lion King is Overrated. It isn't necessarily bad, just not as good as people say, so I've made this video to explain why I believe that.
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All footage used is for review purposes and is fair use.
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Music used in order of appearance -
Destiny - Fire Emblem Awakening
Sky Tower - Kirby's Return to Dreamland
Wing Ding - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
VS Mecha Bowser - Super Mario Sunshine
Toad Village Bonus - Crash Bandicoot: N Sane Trilogy
Plasm Wraith - Pikmin 3
Temple - Super Smash Bros Melee
Meta Crystal - Super Smash Bros 64
Scorch 'N' Torch - Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
Bonus Level - Donkey Kong Country Returns
Stickerbrush Symphony - Super Smash Bros Brawl
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#disney #disneyanimation #waltdisneyanimation #waltdisneyanimationstudios #disneyrenaissance #lionking #lions #lion #simba #timonandpumbaa #review #analysis #opinion #overrated #scar
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0:00 - Intro
1:42 - Simba is Kinda Boring
2:35 - The Writing/Dialogue is Mid
3:05 - I Can't Wait to be King Song Doesn't Make Any Sense
4:22 - The Hyenas Are Mediocre Side Villains
4:48 - The Comedy is Hit or Miss
5:22 - Timon and Pumba Are Just OK
6:41 - The Movie is Tonally Inconsistent, Arguably More so than The Hunchback
8:20 - The Romance is Half Baked
9:19 - The Second Half is Very Rushed
10:19 - Scar's Reign is Underdeveloped
11:04 - Minor Issues in the Final Scenes
11:44 - I'm Not a Fan of Animal Centric Movies, Sorry Not Sorry
12:32 - Final Thoughts
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![Why Judge Claude Frollo is the Best Disney Villain [The Hunchback of Notre Dame]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fGwrZEMi05o/mqdefault.jpg)
Is it ok to have wrong opinions?
I say it is. I mean, I like Chicken Little as a guilty pleasure, so…
What is a wrong opinion? At least when it comes to something as suggestive as an opinion on a movie?
It's absolutely fine. I mean, I like some hated films like Cars 2, Moshi Monsters: The Movie, Rock-a-Doodle, and Thomas and the Magic Railroad, and the infamous video game and YTP source "I. M. Meen" is one of my favorite games of all time (mainly because the titular character I. M. Meen is my favorite villain of all time), so it's not bad to have unpopular opinions.
Don’t worry about it. The Lorax and Ice Age 4 are guilty pleasures for me!
Honestly, to me, there is no right or wrong opinions. Sure people will agree or disagree but that doesn’t equal it being right or wrong. I happen to enjoy many things that are hated by everyone else but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong and they’re right.
WHAAAT? Pumba calling stars big balls of gas is one of the funniest lines of the movie because it subverts the expectation of Pumba being naively wrong about his observations where for once he is actually correct without fully realizing why, stars are big balls of gas.
Actually, I don't have a problem with pumba's line, only Timon's that follows immediately afterward and ruins what was otherwise a funny scene in my opinion.
Um ackshually they are made of plasma 🤓 but props on Pumba for being correct during his time where scientists thought they were made of gas
@@Wince_Media Plasma is electrically charged gas.
You just got your “well actually” well actuallyed. 🤓🤓🤓🤓
@Rockotar Idk I thought that's what made the joke. Timon laughing ignorantly. Humor senses are different
@@riahray 🤓 👍
9:45 That's another point. Rafiki whoops Simba back into reality and tells him that sometimes the past does hurt, but you have a choice: either run from it or learn from it. That lesson is rare in a Disney movie. Other Disney movies teach you to "follow your heart" & "dreams do come true".
FINALLY somebody says this👏👏
Good point and good lesson to put in a Disney movie!
Which is a good faced lie
@@TheReZisTLust which is the lie? The moral of following your heart & dreams coming true or having the choice of running from your painful past or learning from it?
This one also teaches you that you have a predetermined position in life and that everything goes to shit if you deviate from it. Basically peasants need to stay in their lane. Not exactly a stellar message.
A lot of Disney films have lessons beyond "follow your heart" or "dreams do come true".
One of my biggest gripes is when Scar tells Simba that he killed Mufasa. Like, why not just push him down? He would’ve been dead in seconds, there was no reason to tell him
I heard that there actually is a reason. Scar said that to him because he thought it would be the last thing Simba hears before he kills him, but it didn’t go to plan for him as Simba overpowered him and forced him to tell the truth with no way out
@Allibaba419 that's exactly why, isn't it?
No reason to tell him? Oh boy, you really ignore how psychopaths minds work.
Scar is a psychopath. Sometimes a narcissist/psychopath gets arrogant, and has the urge to gloat, when he thinks he can get away with that gloating. Scar had Simba hanging over a fiery abyss. He didn't expect Simba to be able to break out of his hold so quickly. Mufasa was too shocked (and exhausted from running through the stampede) to break out in a similar situation. Plus, as a psychopath, Scar lacks empathy, meaning he has some blindsports when it comes to others' emotions, meaning Scar wouldn't realize how him whispering the truth into Simba's ear would emotionally motivate Simba to quickly break out of his hold.
Giving vibes of:
Scott: "Wait, aren't you even going to watch them? They could get away!"
Dr. Evil: "No no no, I'm going to leave them alone and not actually witness them dying, I'm just gonna assume it all went to plan. What?"
Scott: "I have a gun, in my room, you give me five seconds, I'll get it, I'll come back down here, BOOM, I'll blow their brains out!"
Dr. Evil: "Scott.. you just don't get it, do ya? You don't."
Have you ever seen DreamWorks' The Prince of Egypt? It's got some similar story beats to The Lion King, which might be coincidence, but in a way it addresses the criticisms you mentioned. First of all, human characters. Second, it's more consistently dark and mature. There are a few comic relief characters, but they never overstay their welcome, and they're dismissed from the movie when it starts getting really serious. And the part where the protagonist returns home is much more evenly paced (a longer runtime helps there). Also, the song lyrics were written by Stephen Schwartz, the same lyricist as The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Truly a great movie.
Prince of Egypt >>>>>>>>> Lion King
The Lion King took inspiration from the story of Moses. The filmmakers stated so in several interviews.
@@archelaus1598 Yeah, that makes sense the more I think about it. Jeffrey Katzenberg was the producer for both films too, right?
@@SparkpadArt He was Disney's studio chairman when TLK was in production. Don Hahn was the actual producer. Nevertheless, Katzenberg was heavily involved on both films, and "The Prince of Egypt" was his passion project.
"I Just Can't Wait to be King" serves a pretty big purpose; it's the mirror version of "Be Prepared."
Simba and Scar are actually singing about the same thing. The only difference is that Simba is a naive kid who's only looking at the perks of being a king without considering what would have to happen in order for him to become one. That's why his song is bright, colorful and has the most unrealistic look out of everything else in the movie. Scar, on the other hand, knows exactly what those implications are, and he's counting on them. That's why his song is dark, creepy and evokes imagery from the Third Reich.
So no; there's a lot more to that song that just serving as filler or a reason to annoy and distract Zazu. The song also makes the impact of Mufasa's death even heavier through contrast because Simba got what he was hoping for in the most technical sense, but now he understands the gravity of what that really means, and to make matters worse, Scar gaslights him into believing it was his fault.
This doesn't necessarily mean that the overall movie isn't overrated anymore, but the criticism you made shouldn't count as a knock against the film because it's incorrect and actually strengthens the movie for having that song.
As for the morning report song that was cut from the theatrical release, that one should have remained in the cutting room floor because it does bring the quality down.
Yeah, Lion King is overrated. Don't get me wrong I still like it and all, it's really good, but it's honestly overpraised and not as good as other Disney movies.
Yeah, Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, and Emperor’s New Groove deserve more love.
I think there are better movies out there made by Disney, like Pinocchio (the 1940 classic) and Beauty and the Beast.
@@n19ntendods sorry but WHAT? Absolutely none of those hold a candle to the Lion King, and I say that as someone that rather likes two out of those three (can’t stand Meet the Robinsons).
My thoughts exactly. Lion King is a great film, but is among the lesser films of the Disney Renaissance era imo (which goes to show just how high-quality that era was).
I’m probably one of the few people who still likes Frozen more than it
The animation is great... but the animation is great in a lot of other Disney movies too.
I appreciate hearing a different take on the Lion King, even if I largely disagree.
To answer one point though, if you watch the stage musical rather than the film, there's a lot more emphasis on Scar's take over of pride rock, including the very awesome song for Nala shadowed land, (it's extra stupid that the pathetic remake wanted a solo number for Nala and didn't use it).
There, both the effect of Scar's take over of Pride rock, and Simba's character development are given more time, and extra matching songs as well.
It would have been cool to see Nala sing the song, I think I watched the stage musical years ago but I need to watch it again.
They included songs in the musical that were cut from the original film, which I thought was a nice touch. I really liked that they went with the sinister angle that he was trying to force Nala to mate with him, hence why she ran away. In the original film, she just sort of....shows up with no rhyme or reason. I highly doubt she'd cross an entire desert just to find food and drag it ALL the way back to Pride Rock.
Across a desert.
That took Simba an entire night to cross while running, let alone dragging prey.
@@Edwinaopt I'd recommend it. I love the film, but that's one where the musical just added extra plot and songs for characters who didn't already get them. Nala's is one of the best, set to Hans Zimmer's music, explaining the destruction of pride rock and how Nala is going to seak for help.
This, combined with Simba's own Balad under the stars, which explains that though he's been happy living with Timone and Pumba, he still feels something is lacking and grieves for his father, really shows how both characters mature, how Nala is going out to look for help in an untenable situation, and how Simba is looking for a purpose.
@@WobblesandBean They actually did film a scene with Scar coming on to Nala, but as this was pre-hunchback, it was deemed too dark for a disney film, though you can find a rough cut of it with the voice acting online.
That's another reason I love Shadowed land. Scar attempts to slime up to Nala, and she gives him a well deserved clout, but knows he'll be after her again however, though this is the last straw for Nala and indicates she must leave, the song is all about the condition of the land, the dry rivers, the broken ground, and how she must try and seek help for her family.
it's as if things have been getting progressively worse for years, and this is the last straw, but even then, her response is not to run away, but to go and look for some sort of help; showing a very nice contrast with Simba.
This is particularly shown given adult Simba's own extra balad, under the stars in which he explains something has been missing.
So Nala recognises she is in an untennable position and goes looking for help, Simba realises there's a severe lack in his life, and is looking for a purpose.
As George Lucas would say:
"It's like poetry, everything rhymes!" :D.
Doesn't really matter though because it wasn't in the movie
I mean one of the biggest pushing factors of the lion king being as popular as it is is mainly due to nostalgia which is a very powerful weapon indeed
Nah, I like The Cat in The Hat live action movie because of nostalgia. The Lion King still holds up.
Yeah alot of things in this movie arent the best lion king remake
No it's not. There is a difference between a masterpiece that still holds up and nostalgia. For example I still enjoy the shitty Disaster Movie because of nostalgia
I loved Lion King as a kid then stopped watching it when I got older. As an adult I thought about it, and held the opinion that it's a decent kids movie that, I thought was great because I was young. Recently I watched a few clips then ended up watching the whole thing. The story and music is great, for the most part, Scar is a fun but intense villain, and Mufasa's death is still heart wrenching. Not to mention its got adult themes I never picked up on until now. For me nostalgia has nothing to do with it being a great movie. It just is. Though like any great movie, it's not perfect. It's good enough that I don't have to focus on plot holes/inconsistencies the whole time though. There's other reasons Lion King is great but I don't feel like typing another paragraph lol.
@@bennybenjben9594 I totally agree with you it's very enjoyable
I always thought that the reason the lionesses didn't rebel was because of the huge mass of hyenas Scar was controlling? they were vastly outnumbered. wasn't that the point of him bringing the hyenas into the pride lands, for power and the ability to control the lionesses and using the threat of a very violent hyena-caused death kept them in check. and they were all grieving over the death of mufasa and simba, whom they were told also died.
Also because lions ARE a monarchy in this timeline.
In human societies, monarchies OFTEN allow one tyrant king to rule because of "divine right to rule" even if it's against the best interests of the general population.
Also rising up is hard because you need EVERYONE to be willing to take a risk. If half the lions do & half don't or wimp out, they're guaranteeing their own death.
This is one of those movies that I remember the dramatic moments but the part of the movie where simba is in the jungle I usually forget entirely
I (almost)agree with this video completely, I watched Lion King when I was older and I thought it was fine, it was good no doubt but not to the masterpiece levels people were saying, it's just a solid good movie, one of those where you nod to yourself when leaving but doesn't have a particularly massive impact.
The only thing I don't agree with is the animals bringing it down, for me and a lot of others, animals are much more interesting than plain humans, I tend to be able to relate and like them a lot more if they're animals.
Yeah, that is why I mentioned the animal thing last since it isn't really a knock against the movie, just something that isn't my personal taste.
Don't say stupid things.
@@Rockotarthepurplehatguy Remember Lion King is based on Hamlet. So Maybe the writers were struggling to make a G rated version of the story?????? I noticed that Disney's struggle to balance tone is only a thing in their Non Fairy tale films.
@@Rockotarthepurplehatguy I also disagree about "I Can't Wait to be King" being pointless. It's Simba's "I want" song, a staple of the Disney golden age. By that same metric, "Reflection" from Mulan and "Part of Your World" are equally pointless.
Also, the reason Lion King gets a pass where Hunchback didn't was because 1) It wasn't as serious or dark all throughout, it had a good balance of dark scenes and lighthearted ones; and 2) Timon and Pumbaa are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. To say their characters don't fit in the story is to say Shakespeare's Hamlet was poorly written.
ALSO-also, the reason the lionesses didn't rise up against the hyenas was because they thought Scar was the rightful king and thus were loyal, even if they hated it. The second Simba showed up, they were like "f this here's our loophole, time to kick hyena arse ladies".
I'll give you that the romance was dumb and super rushed, but they're lions. I'm a zoologist and I can tell you, a lion's idea of romance is having sex on top of the corpses of the lioness's babies after the male just killed them. Cuz there's no better aphrodisiac than baby murder, amirite?
.....At this point I'm going to be amazed if youtube doesn't delete my comment, lol.
yeah I think animals can be used to tell amazing stories
I have always maintained that the main reason for The Lion King's ongoing popularity is that the people who enjoyed it when it came out told their kids that it was a really great movie, thus biasing them against noticing its flaws. Also, I too believe that the story would have been better told with human characters, and would love to see someone make a parody with that concept. Perhaps I should keep that in mind for future projects...
I definitely remember the hype train. Almost felt pressured into loving it.
Bullshit. It's an amazing movie, stop trying to be special
I always thaught Scar was too stupid
Literally my only reason for thinking it's overrated is because my older sister is obsessed with it. She doesn't shut up about and always wants to watch it. But thanks to you, I now have better and more valid reasons to think it's overrated, thanks Rockotar :)
i feel like i’m that sister lmaooo u also sound like my younger brother😂
As someone who prefers other Disney movies and also thinks The Lion King is overrated, this was such a breathe of fresh air to watch. I’m so glad you shared your thoughts on the movie and didn’t sugarcoat anything, gives me a lot of respect for you. :)
And while I do like The Lion King, there are certainly better films even from the same era, such as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Hunchback of Notre Dame and Tarzan, which I personally adore those. :D
No.
Hey buddy I’m Matt. I love Disney. Do you like Winnie the Pooh?
BatB < all of the other movies mentioned. It's the animated movie equivalent of a boring triple A video game: excellent production, mediocre (at best) content.
Lmao Tarzan is DEFINITELY not a better movie lmao
Nah I feel this is an L, The Lion King is a great movie. Hunchback of Notre Dame is good, but I wouldn’t place it in my top 20. The Lion King is easily in the top 10 of Disney’s movies. I vehemently disagree.
Warning: Long Comment
Great video, Man. You know, funny enough, the people making this movie didn't think it was going to be good. From what I gather, The Lion King was made during the same time as Pocahontas. After Beauty and the Beast was nominated for Best Feature, Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted to replicate the success of that movie with Pocahontas, which is ironically one of the Disney's more hated movies. So he had the A-team work on that movie, while the B-team worked on The Lion King. It wasn't even supposed to be a masterpiece. Also, about the "Just Can't Wait to be King". I think the point of that song is to emphasize what Simba thinks about being a king. He only thinks about the good things, like the lack of orders, and sheer freedom. He is only thinking about how it benefits him. The point of the movie is for him to learn about the responsibility of being a king. This is shown in Scar, who desires the throne to the point of murder, only for his pride and greed. Upon becoming king, he drives the Pridelands into ruin, and in the end, he gives up his Hyenas and henchmen to save his own skin, which ultimately leads to his death. The point of the song is to emphasize that Simba is selfish and irresponsible, and is on a similar path to Scar. Then again, I haven't seen the movie in a while, so maybe it isn't clear in the film.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks so, too.
No u r not it is overrated
Considering this was Disney's b team making this movie it makes it more impressive in that context. The a team at the time was working on was Pocahontas. Oof
The biggest thing I disagree with here is the "I relate less to animals than humans in movies" because it's such a ridicuously subjective opinion that it's not a criticism you can label on the movie. Animals aren't automatically inferior to human characters in movies.
Agreed. I actually had a very similar experience as Simba had in regards to losing a loved one in a traumatic way that left him scarred for many years. It left me with PTSD in my case, which almost killed me through suicidal thoughts. It's... a pretty terrible experience, and I understood what Simba went through. 😬😬😬
@@SonicGamerGirl2006i hope you’re doing better now, ur stronger than u think!! 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
Another example of people's hypocrisy, many say that Hans is a bad villain for telling Anna his plan and leaving her alive without making sure to kill her, but Scar when he tells Simba to run away does not make sure that the hyenas killed Simba and no one says anything, Or when Scar tells Simba that he killed Mufasa without even knowing that Simba would actually go down.
PS: imagine if Let It Go had gas jokes, how they would have shot poor Let It Go XD.
Hans was a twist villain while Scar was evil from.the start and Scar not making sure the hyenas killed Simba you could say the same in Hades the god of death not knowing Pain and Panic didnt kill Hercules
If scar would straight up kill Simba
They would notice it because of the blood in his paws.
Scar is vicious and manipulative. He blames Simba Infront of the crowd so that he doesn't get caught.
He says Simba that he killed Mufasa because he was about to die but Simba became angry and pounced him. Why did God gave you a brain if you don't even use it?
I completely agree. It’s my mom’s favorite Disney movie and even as a kid I was confused on why the rest of the pride needed Simba to overthrow Scar. I also realized that this isn’t a movie I go back to. Same with Aladdin it just never really clicked with me.
Don't say stupid things.
the pride respects the rules it would be chaos without order
I agree, honestly the only movie from that era I go back to is Mulan. Idk what it is about The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty & The Beast, but they’re just not my style.
I always saw that the Pride just felt like Scar was their only leader till Simba appeared and they got their strength again.
Simba even saved them all from an abusive relationship like Cinderella and her evil stepfamily.
Still better than the remakes
Completely disagree as TLK is my favorite animated movie and helped shape a lot of who I am as a person in a ton of ways, but I respect your opinion lol
Yes but you can't say it isn't overrated. People call it perfect and a complete original which it's not. It is 100% overrated but that dosnt make it bad.
Like frozen.
@@Thebeezzkneezz. while i get what youre saying, i'll add that i agree with the opinion that the whole reason TLK is/was such a big hit is bcuz it's the "the perfect children's movie" (even tho its not my favorite of all time)
it has all the qualities of what makes a great children's animated movie: great animation, likeable characters (designs as well), great songs, a story with a good moral (even if it's not original, which also might be another reason people like it, "tried and true formula" sort of thing)
it's the type of movie that was basically crafted to be a classic, same thing as Frozen
@@Thebeezzkneezz. No story is completely original so I don’t know who’s trying to say that. It being overrated is still an subjective reading of the series that I disagree with. Also, let’s be real, TLK completely trounces Frozen in just about every way. If you think the movie gets too much attention from people who like it, I’m sorry you feel that way.
@@Thebeezzkneezz. Overrated means it isn't deserving of all it's praise. Sure, the story is generic, but the animation is incredible and deserving of all the praise.
@@jorami4838 Yes, and even then, what’s wrong with a generic story? Tropes work.
I don’t think its overrated.
The songs, visuals and voice acting are amazing. It’s just that everyone keeps trying to imitate and compare everything to it.
Kind of like how everyone keeps comparing zelda botw to zelda nes, ( even though they have nothing in common as zelda 1 is much closer to the traditional formula than botw which is more of a mashup of western sandbox tropes.)
Agree. This movie isn’t overrated
@@paulgilbert5278 It's more like overhyped compared to others like Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio etc.
It's so overrated wtf
It is. It has so many flaws people keep overlooking. Also, Simba isn't that great. The best parts were Timon and Pumbaa
I still think Mufasa dying is what makes it top tier animation. That scene alone is more real and dramatic then anything show in any other disney animated film.
Mufasa has like 2 minutes of screen time
@@ellanimation816 Your point?
I literally don't get why people think that little screentime automatically = don't care about character death. It all depends on if the story can get you the sympathize with them so that their death does make you feel shocked/sad. It's just like if you here about someone dying on the news you probably won't feel much but once they can personalize the individual by mentioning stuff like they were saving people when it happened or their a parent of x amount of children you then start to actually feel the weight of a life that was loss as we can associate those same traits to individuals who are close to us or the fact that those who were close to them are now feeling a great sense of loss and/or sadness
One problem with the Lion King is when Adult Simba is talking to Spirit Mufasa is Spirit Mufasa should have told Simba that it wasn't him who killed Mufasa & it was actually Scar. If that happened, a big burden would have been lifted off Simba's shoulders & he would boldly & fearlessly went back to pride rock, exposed Scar, overthrew him & became King.
Ok but this feels very "why didn't the eagles just take the ring instead of Frodo" kind of nitpick. Yes it works but it renders the rest of the movie boring as a result. Simba needed a reason to face his past and learn the truth; having him just know what happened when he got back would've lessened the impact of Scar admitting it, with his pride getting the better of him (on Pride rock, no less).
Like idk. You're technically not wrong? But it's kind of ambiguous what spirit Mufasa even *is*
He sure doesn't talk to Simba like he did when he was alive. It isn't like a zoom call into the afterlife, ya know? Otherwise Mufasa would have said a lot of things differently, not just about who killed him.
But Simba's belief that it was his fault it is all gone anyway when Scar revealed that it was actually him who killed Mufasa. Not Simba
hmm i sort of interpreted that scene differently. imo spirit mufasa isn’t actually mufasa, it is the part of mufasa that lives within simba, and so it would make sense that spirit mufasa wouldn’t tell him that scar killed him because … well obviously simba didn’t know that fact. if you think about it, nothing that spirit mufasa tells simba is anything that simba didn’t already know- he knew he was abandoning his pride and role as king , and running away from his past, and “forgetting” his father. Rafiki simply forces simba to face that truth, and in doing so simba is forced to speak to spirit mufasa who lived within him the entire time but who he had surpressed in order to escape his tragic past. I could just be waffling though 😅
@@bigbadgammagnomeagreeddd
You gotta admit that this movie's definitely a thousand times better than Frozen.
Oh yes, certainly, Frozen has way more plot holes and weak characters.
I've only seen the first one, but I find it strange how many of the problems people complain about in the sequel were ones I had with Frozen 1. Also I muted the TV at certain parts.
Ah yes finally!
Is it just me, or is this the ONLY Matthew Broderick & Johnathan Taylor Thomas movie that was praised by both critics & audiences?
This version is better than the live action remake in every way
NO WAY!!!! SERIOUSLY....
Most of these points are refuted simply by the fact that it's children's entertainment, which has been Disney's bread and butter since the 1920's. I'll just do a quick rundown of each video section:
- "Simba is Kinda Boring" - Simba is boring in the same way that Neo in The Matrix is boring -- the larger story happening around him is the engaging part. You even said it yourself. There are actually quite a few great movies that have somewhat flat main characters.
- "The Writing/Dialogue is Mid" - The writing/dialogue is fine for a kids movie.
- "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" does two things: 1.) establishes that Simba is young and cocky, and 2.) gets them away from Zazu. Please don't get too hung up on the rhino butt thing -- it's a kids movie.
- "The Hyenas Are Mediocre Side Villians" - The Hyenas are Scar's allies and essentially act as his muscle to "kill" Simba as well as take over Pride Rock. They also tell solid jokes/puns to establish the concept of "laughing hyenas" so that kids will understand.
- "The Comedy is Hit or Miss" - The comedy is fine for a kids movie. Fart jokes may not land with you, but they definitely land with kids and a well-timed fart still lands with plenty of adults.
- "Timon and Pumba Are Just OK" - Timon and Pumba make pop culture references because kids know pop culture. The follow-up fart joke after Pumba's comment also lands well with kids because it's a kids movie.
- "Totally Inconsistent" - This tonal inconsistency argument is strange to me. The 25 minutes from the elephant graveyard to Simba running away are entirely serious with only the occasional joke thrown in for the kids. The introduction of Timon and Pumba in the second act serves as much needed comic relief for a solid 15-20 minutes as Simba picks up a more hedonistic lifestyle without responsibility. Once Rafiki shows up, the general tone gets serious again as Simba decides to take responsibility and face his past. The storytelling consistency is solid. Also consider the visual style compared to Hunchback -- Lion King has characters that all looked like stuffed animals (consistent style) vs. Hunchback with well-drawn humans juxtaposed alongside cartoony gargoyles (inconsistent style).
- "The Romance is Half Baked" - He met an old flame again. It happens in the real world plenty of times. The criticism of the song is fair when you compare it to other Disney films, but since we're talking about Lion King, it does it's job within the story. Book-ending it with Timon and Pumba is fine too because this is the ensemble of characters in the second act who will all be affected by whatever Simba decides to do next.
- ""The Second Half is Rushed" - I keep hearing the word "immediately" on each of those main story beats of the last half, but none of it was immediate. It was efficient. Lion King is incredibly efficient in how it jumps from beat to beat while still allowing the audience ample time to breathe.
- "Scar's Reign is Underdeveloped" - The Lionesses didn't "simply kill Scar" because he literally brought in his reinforcements in the same shot with all the hyenas walking into frame. They were also still reeling from the grief of losing their leader and his son while the rightful kingship (which they respected) went to Scar.
- "Minor Issues in Final Scenes" - This one is just disappointing -- the first shot of Scar is him playing with his food. In fact, Zazu's opening line reinforces that. If you're not picking up on the fact that Scar was playing with his food (Simba) by telling him that he killed Mufasa, then I don't know what to tell you.
- "Not a Fan of Animal Centric Movies" - That's fair. But I have to ask why bother pointing this out then since it's not really relevant to the story?
Again, most of these points are refuted by the fact that it's a movie for children. It's fine if you don't see it as a masterpiece, but I have to wonder if it's a genuine feeling or if making this video was really meant to garner views through the YT algorithm by being contrarian. If you truly want to see all of these details of character development and thorough story beats with non-animal characters, it seems like you'd be more interested in seeing a theater performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Disney was on a hell of a run during this era and Lion King was actually a movie that most of the top talent jumped ship from during production to work on Pocahontas instead. It was a legitimate underdog production that the theater-going public surprisingly decided to show up for at double the rate of Beauty and the Beast/Aladdin. Lion King isn't even my personal favorite Disney film (it's BotB), but I can still recognize it as the undisputed apex of the Disney Renaissance and appreciate why it works so well. You may not see it as a masterpiece, but it is.
wrong
10/10 agree with everything u said
I agree with most of what he’s saying, but the I can’t wait to be king song is actually meant as a parallel to Scar’s be prepared song, Simba is basically a parallel to scar. Also yea the romance is pretty lame in the movie, they have barley any development
I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who feels like this about this movie
I agree with your points on Simba as a main character, he's not really that memorable and he's more like a simple puppet for the plot
The darker and more serious scenes work PERFECTLY, but the comedy doesn't stand at the same level... I don't remember many of the jokes, while the emotional moments are much more vivid
Overall, it's not a bad movie at all, and I can perfectly see why it's so loved by many, but me personally... Not that much. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea, but this isn't the kind of movie I would rewatch at any given moment
Then show your future kids modern trash pile that it's animated movie and don't let them learn anything useful in life
@@antepa112 tf how the hell did you get to that conclusion
This movie in its defense didn’t get as a big of a budget as another Disney movie Pocahontas, both were being produced at the time and I think that’s why there were many flaws towards it too. I definitely think this movie is overrated but a lot of these flaws came out from the fact that Disney wasn’t expecting TLK to do so well.
Also, TLK was made by Disney's B Team, while Pocahontas was done by the A Team.
I don't think it's a valid excuse. Beauty and the Beast had more problems to be made (Howard Ashman's condition , first script completely dismissed, two years timeline instead of the classic 4 years ) and STILL was nominated for best Picture at the Oscars .
@@ingridsuperfreak lemme re word, the stakes weren’t so high for the movie to begin with. Animated movies really weren’t seen as something to be taken seriously about especially story wise. The Lion King is overrated for the fact that there was really no other story like it and the fact it was animated. Many people were impressed at how entertaining it was, also there wasn’t really internet critics and it was just word of mouth to go watch a movie. It was literally Disney against itself in the animated category, all the Disney movies have flaws but since Disney was the only one actually doing it, everyone kept staying in awe at whatever they released. Now we can look back and say hey this movies really wasn’t all that great story wise, but the reason it did so well was cuz no one had seen a story like Lion King before.
I agree with so many of your points. I genuinely thought I'd never find another person who saw the Lion King as overrated. Like yeah it's good, but there's so many issues in it that so many people seem to ignore.
Some are legit, but some are just nitpicks
The things he mentioned weren't even the issue and his video is massively flawed
hot take for sure- but honestly I agree in the aspect of it not being a masterpiece in the overall story and writing but more so a masterpiece in animation, music, and the (in my opinion) great character interactions. (but that last one half falls into animation as well)
this was a greatly timed video as well for me since I recently just rewatched the lion king for the hell of it.
fair opinions and criticisms even if I don’t fully agree!
fair enough..
In my British Literature class I heard that the Lion King is based on Hamlet, which really shows how they kinda messed up the tone. Hamlet deeply explores Hamlet’s guilt and depression for not avenging his father until it drives him crazy, while the Lion King spends about 5-10 minutes on this.
Because the story is inspired by Hamlet. It's not a copy of it
Because Parents would have taken so well to that much darker version.😅
@@samlerfI mean, yeah? It’s not like parents are idiots or that Disney movies have to be babied down in principal. My 9 year old sister loved Godzilla: Minus One for example, and it was very dark.
Another thing is that the lion king is just Bambi in Africa. Same plot. Same sorta things happen. Even some of the people working on the lion king said it was basically Bambi!
Another problem with the Lion King is Scar change in behavior. He goes from a very intelligent, cunning & successful villain by successfully overthrowing Mufasa and banishing Simba to become the next king to a big whinny brat who didnt really care about ruling his kingdom but only cared about being acknowledged as king. When the hyenas told him that there was no food or water and decide to go hunt for themselves, Scar complains that it's the lionesses' job to do the hunting. Then when the hyenas pointed out that the lionesses won't hunt, Scar just told them to eat Zazu.
Throughout this video, I was pretty much that Kronk meme from Emperor's New Groove:
"No, no. He's got a point."
Very good points Rockotar about the comedy and the serious moments backlash! When I was little and saw this film I didn’t find funny the comedy that was aimed at my age and I couldn’t fully appreciate the serious moments. However when I revisited the movies I really liked the serious moments but still found the comedy not funny. Also good points with some of the plot holed nobody brings up while criticizing The Lion King!
As Someone who Lists "The Lion King" as his favorite movie. A lot of my Love comes from pure nostalgia.
One problem I have with the Lion King is the choices for the Simba’s voice. His father is voiced by framing James Earl Jones (a legend), but his voice sounds so whiny and babyish in comparison. And to make things weirder, Jason Weaver sang for young Simba, but couldn’t voice his normal lines?
I remember my mom telling me that people made it a whole thing when the movie came out because Simba’s voice sounded so off compared to his parents’ voices.
actually ☝🏾 jason said in an interview that they wanted him to do the speaking voice for simba but jonathan taylor thomas already signed the contract for it. that was always bothered me too even as a kid lol
Even back then when I was crazy about The Lion King and would rewatch it over and over again, I still preferred to skip Timon and Pumbaa's part because it kind of ruined the mood
I mean, Simba's father died, he himself almost died, he was banished from his family, all this at the same time at his young age. Isn't he gonna feel a bit more traumatized and shocked rather than "meh I'm feelin' kinda blue, let's forget it and have fun with the dudes I've just met"?
I like The Lion King but it is good to hear a different viewpoint.....also like the comparisons to Hunchback Of Notre Dame, which i actually prefer and doesn't get nearly enough love in my opinion!
"The live action lion king is my favourite movie of all time. I loved it when they didn't cut out out the best song in the movie, and had two good singers sing Hakuna Matata. They added so much to the movie and made it way better than it was before. And the best part is they did it for their audience and not for the money."
This is what I would have said in a parallel universes where the movie was good
When Kingdom Hearts does a movie's plot better, it's a good sign that plot is either overrated or underutilized. And Kingdom Hearts took Lion King's last act and made it memorable, even on a PS2. Nala's journey to find Simba being the plot point we drop in on in game, the derailing to interrogate the Hyenas, and Sora knowing Simba from the previous game as a summon. Plus, Scar's spirit.
All I could think about while watching this video was lion Sora lol
In my personal opinion I liked Lion Guard more than the films and if I'm rating the films I'd do it like this
3: Lion King
2: Lion King 1 1/2
1: Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (my favourite)
As a 90s kid, I was always the subject of horrified disbelief when I said that the lion king was very meh for me. It still is.
finally someone who doesn't understand the hype around lion king. been made fun of for so long because I've said things like the story isn't a masterpiece or the songs aren't really that good. I think a lot of other disney movies are way better including some more recent ones
It's a masterpiece compared to the live action remake
7:36 Well Lion King IS a children's movie. But it was made in the 90s, a time where kids movies took risks
I honestly agree. When someone mentions Disney they say the lion king. And I never really liked it that much. I’m glad someone understands
I feel bad for the hyenas. They hated lions so no wonder they aimed to kill Simba in the beginning & Scar, the lion they looked up to to provide food for them, betrayed them by blaming Mufasa's death on them. No wonder they hated lions...
I remember when I first watched it as a kid I thought it wasn't as hyped as everyone told me. I would never tell this cause people seem to hype it so much. Of course as a kid I never read Hamlet (although now as an adult I did) so I couldn't comprehend the complexity. In fact as a kid I loved the second Lion king more cause I knew Romeo and Juliet.
I do like Lion king but I agree with your points. I think it's probably cause I wasn't from the same generation.
P.s to answer your question, it's okay to have "wrong opinions" aka disagreeing opinions. If none of us have them then not only will we not be able to have different perspectives on how we view the world, but we would only alienate the people who have them but don't have the voice to. It helps all of us grow and understand each other better.
Simba isn't meant to be great. He's meant to be very flawed and vulnerable, unable to live up to his potential, and unable to make a positive change until he decides that he can. He was arrogant and cocky, and very ego-centric, but in a fragile way that two-year-olds are. The instant his innocent self-perception was challenged, it faltered, and when his father died, it broke. There was nothing left of him afterward. He is a character defined by the story, and his personality exists to carry that story as well as possible. The story isn't about his personality, it's about his fundamental condition, and it was a good idea to give that priority.
This could work if the movie was longer and gave more time to flesh out the characters scenes.
@@Rockotarthepurplehatguy well the remake is longer but better definitely not this remake is the worst movie of all time heck even bad movies like idk the emoji movie why? Cause it's something different that remake isn't different at all it's the same movie but worst this remake shattered childhood and the new scenes are useless as heck
@Thomas_Hatch well fair enough..
@@Simbala-bq5vy agreed.
Ooh, damn. Let’s hope people who see the video title actually watch the video and don’t just leave angry comments without watching…
I thought I was the only one who thought this movie was overrated
I love lion king but yeah it's not flawless like so many fans think and yes it is very overrated. Ask anyone what their favorite Disney movie is, the answer will almost always be the lion king. Ask anyone who their favorite Disney hero is, the answer will almost always be Simba. Ask anyone what their favorite Disney song is, the answer will almost always be the circle of life or be prepared. Ask anyone what's the saddest movie death especially animal one, you get Mufasa, I could go on, you get it. I also don't see as many Disney movies getting as much attention from even Disney themselves than the lion king. People also have an annoying tendency to compare everything to the lion king. Bottom line, the lion king, while a good movie, gets put on such a high pedestal as the "pinnacle of all movies and cartoons" by so so many people that it fits the very definition of overrated regardless of wether anyone feels about it.
Well I understand we all have different opinions. I think this movie is great, but there are 2 problems I have with the movie
1. The fact that they made Mufasa literally perfect in every single way. They couldn't have given him even the TINIEST of flaws? Like say that he would also get into trouble just like Simba when he was younger, or something like that.
2. Like the Nostalgia Critic said in his review of the movie, it kind of spits in the face of the moral about how you should put your past behind you, when Simba doing this almost gets him killed, and everyone just leaves him to die until they learn that Mufasa's death wasn't Simba's fault.
I have to argue with your first point, if only because there’s quite honestly not enough room in the existing runtime to expand Mufasa without losing something else. In my opinion, least, he already had one and half flaws. His relationship with his brother is really bad (seemingly on both ends), and he’s not much of a diplomat going entirely by what we see in the first movie. Scar couldn’t have used the hyenas as his enforcers if Mufasa had found a way to diffuse the problem between the two groups.
@John And his short temper was his other flaws too.
@@John-fk2ky Well Scar allowed the hyenas to live with the lions, and look how THAT turned out.
@@John-fk2ky I agree with this. For me personally I'm fine with how Mufasa is in the movie, especially given the bad reputation fathers have in animation throughout the years. The youtuber CellSpex said it best in her video on top 11 good fathers in animation video 4 yrs ago, that animated dads for most part are portrayed as dumb, incompetent, selfish and sometimes just straight up bad people as well as being the but of most jokes. Then you look at certain anime that take that up to 11 with abuse, absence, neglect and several other types of despicable behavior. That's why I'm glad Mufasa is the way he is in the movie, especially compared to most fathers in animation with the exception of other great animation movie fathers like Marlin and Stoick.
I will personally disagree with point 1. Mufasa does have some flaws and it would be what he says to the hyenas when he saves Simba. He says “if you ever come near my son again” and to me that’s a bit weird because if you remember in the movie Simba goes into the hyenas territory. Not the other way around, even when Simba says “you can’t do anything to me”, Zazu says “technically they can, we are on their land”. So in the hyenas case a kid wandered into their backyard, called them stupid, and then their father comes in to beat the bricks off of them only to say “if you ever come near my son again”. If I was the hyenas I would be angry too
I do see why many people love this film; even as an adult, I've come to appreciate why it became such a staple during the Disney Renaissance.
But even with all that, it is overrated, IMO. Not to mention it has conflicting messages
6:47 Like I said before, both Hunchback of Notre Dame & Lion King have villains who are complete monsters which one of the reasons why they are complete monsters is they tell the heroes that their mothers wouldn't love them because of how they looked/what they did
As a kid, I really liked Lion King to the point I once had a dream of becoming a Simba, but when I watched this film again after more than decades past, I...felt..nothing?..
Like, I felt something especially with that death scene, but after that point, the whole Lion King plot felt..forgettable tbh.
And I tried to think of "why"
Well, obviously because as time passed, I've consumed and saw better stories so a film back in the 90s WILL feel kinda 'meh' but still, people say this is a classic and I ALSO thought this was the greatest film of all time, so the confusion was still there.
But at the end of the day, I had to admit, this film was..kinda overrated.
Like, as soon as Simba becomes adult everything felt..meh
Idk why but even as a kid I always liked cub simba more than adult simba probably because adult simba literally doesn't have any personality whatsoever.
At LEAST Simba as a cub have some sort of mischievous side to him so it was okay to watch.
But adult simba just feels boring to me.
Also everything dramatic happens when Simba was a cub, when he becomes adult, everything he does is just..fall in love with Nala and..going back to his home and..that's pretty much it.
And this is a moment I realized Disney truely just brain washed everyone to think they are the best storytellers when in reality it's really not.
Of course there are movies with great storytellings but like, people treat Disney as if they're god of animation stories and..no it really is not.
I mean in my personal opinion I think Disney is one of the greatest storytellers not cuz I was brainwashed into think so but cuz that’s just how I feel about it
The older Disney movies are better than the new ones
The main thing keeping me from loving this movie is Timone and Pumba. They are the most annoying comic relief characters ever. And it doesn’t help that the awful remake casts them with annoying people with irritating voices.
I like the Lion King, but one thing I DID notice about it, and this continued into the sequel too, was how LITTLE character growth the protagonist had. First he's a cub who has not a care in the world and "just can't wait to be king." After his father's death, rather than taking a serious turn around and trying to think how he can get beyond his mistakes and be a better lion, he choses to ignore it all with "Hakuna Matata". Then he blows off Nala when she comes back and only is convinced by Rafiki and the "Force ghost" of his father. In the sequel, he screws up yet again by being such an overprotecting father that Kiara becomes rebellious, which well could have gotten her killed.
Kovu, on the other hand, had the great character growth, albeit a bit too fast, in that he went from being brainwashed by Zira to actually being a decent lion.
If you look back at the production history of the Lion King you learn that it was a sheer fluke of 1990's Disney, the executives at Disney fought tooth & nail to kill the project. What also backs this up is the fact NOBODY involved with the project went on to make anything HALF as good afterwards...
I actually loved the lion king, the one movie I kinda dislike since they overplayed the song “ Let it go. “ Was frozen.
I love this movie. I’m not sure if I’d (personally) consider it overrated.
They’re definitely a lot of flaws in this movie that people love to ignore. 😒
So I appreciate you making this video. 😄😄
He is nitpicking, it's not flaws
@@antepa112yeah I agree. I disagree with everything he said except the fact that the moral is confusing, the fact that Can you feel the love tonight is ruined because of Timon and Pumbaa interrupting it (Elton John's version is amazing) and the fact that Hakuna Matata is not that great (it's a good song, but there are better songs sung by comic reliefs, like the Genie songs from Aladdin). However despite those three flaws I still think it's a perfect movie
Good video, and as you mention with the example of the hunchback of notredame, people are hypocritical to criticize, another example, motivation of Hans in Frozen: "I want the Kingdom of Anna and Elsa" *the people* : "what a trashy villain, I don't identify with that flat motivation 😭".
Scar's motivation: "I want my brother's Kingdom" : *the people* : "Oh, God, what a great motivation, the best villain in animation 😍"
HA HA HA HA HA HA.
Well unlike these other lame Disney villains scar actually succeeded his plan and took over pride rock for years and even fought for it like a real one till the end tf are u talkin about
I still do think that Scar is a way better villain than Hans (not even close, lol) despite having similar motivations to begin with, but I can totally see the hilarity of double standards (aside from the whole execution standpoint).
I have to disagree this is one of my favorite movies
It doesn't actually reach my top 10 of the Disney Animated Canon either, I think it's pretty good overall, for years I couldn't quite understand what was lacking - the weak romance and rushed second half are part of why I think that too ,but I realised recently (this is maybe a really stupid criticism) that because Simba spends the first hald as a kid, I don't feel like we got to know him well in either of his forms form and...he looks, sounds and (arguably) acts so different when he ages it almost feels like the main character is replaced at the midpoint (Obviously I know that's not what actually happens- we see him age) It's not even rare for move's to start with the protagonist being younger but usually there's more physical/audible similarity between their older and younger selves so they still feel more like the same character (also, I don't know if I find the Hunchback more tonally consistent than this film but I definitely find the darker moments of Hunchback more effective overall)
I don't really have a problem with animal-centric movies per se, but I do think an animated Disney movie about Africa's human cultures would be welcome. There's more to the continent than just exotic wildlife.
Yes that would be very interesting, arguably more so then this movie, where the most we get in that category is some of the songs taking African music inspiration.
Wow Rockotar is really looking to get punched today. Lol.
Honestly while I don’t hate the movie and fully understand people’s emotional attachment, I’ve never found myself having a deep love for it like I would other Disney movies. Adult Simba is also one of my least favorite characters of all time. That goes for this movie AND Simba’s pride.
Hardcore Lion King fans: How *DARE* you...
Honestly, its my least favorite Renaissance Movie
What a unique opinion! 😁
While I think this movie is great, I do understand where you are coming from. Everyone has their own opinions and biases on how they feel about certain movies. But even I have to admit that the Lion King is not that sacred of a film. If it was, Disney wouldn't have remade it. The Lion King, as well as the rest of the Renaissance Era films are good movies on their own, but modern animated movies, specifically those from Pixar and DreamWorks are better because their stories and characters are deeper, relatable and more profound.
Honestly when i watched lion king, I was kinda unimpressed. It was good, but it definitely didnt live up to the hype.
There are no wrong or right opinions, there are just opinions. For example, I agree with you, and I also prefer The Lion King 2 over the first one :) that a movie is good doesn’t mean you have to like it
Or me I prefer the original over the stupid asshole remake of soullessnes
you know it's an entertaining film with beautiful animation, great voice acting, fantastic songs and interesting characters but it is basically just hamlet with lions, the biggest problem to me is the plot itself is just too derivative, it's all spectacle and little substance so I'm gonna have to agree
There's a big difference between bad and overrated
Bad is, well, the opposite of good
Overrated is something that is still good, but is being given too much praise than it should be.
Exactly.
I love The Lion King with all of my heart, but it's definitely not perfect and 100% overrated. I wish people would be more open to lesser known or less favoured Disney classics, or even just newer movies that get dismissed because 'It won't be as good as movies like insert random 90s or before movie here'
My family aren’t Disney freaks but when they found out I didn’t care for the Lion King they all ganged up on me😭😭 Like it was such a shocker to them especially because I love to draw furries/ animals in general but the movie just never spoke to me 🤷
As I say with every film, art is subjective. And there’s no question that a film like this is going to have people who love it with a passion and those who don’t have that same passion for it as they do for other films. The Lion King is one of my favorite films of all time and it is a film that I’ve connected with throughout my life on a personal level. But not going to judge if someone feels the opposite with this film as I do, which is fine. As I believe this film represents the peak of Disney animation.
Funny enough, I actually think Encanto is overrated. While I don’t hate it, it’s certainly a film that didn’t have the same emotional impact and enthusiasm as I have with other Disney films.
When I was a reeeeallly small kid, I thought the hyenas were wolves. Considering what an actual hyena looks like, I’d forgive my past self.
Yeah I was little too and I knew they where hyenas. Should’ve listen to the laughs
Now I'm just waiting for someone to make a video like this for Sonic Unleashed, not because people like the game, as simply liking something you don't doesn't make it overrated, but because of how unbelievably opposed to criticism fans of it are, more than any other Sonic game.
Another thing I'd like to mention is that the massage of taking responsibility is completely bastardized here. Every time someone takes responsibility for something he's being punished. When Simba admits he killed Mufasa, all the lions are in shock and don't help him. Than Scar takes responsibility for that and HE is being punished. Imagine for a moment a reality where Scar didn't say anything. Would Simba actually fall from the cliff? If so than Scar is such a bloody moron because he could've lied to everyone and likely keep his place as a king.
All this movie does is to make lying and not taking responsibility seem like the best course of action. The movie is moved by pure conveniences and dumb desicions.
I'm with you on this. TLK is a 6/10ish kinda movie for me.
I like all the memes in this video!
You make a lot of good points, I never thought about how the "I can't wait to be king" song actually doesn't have a point. It's still a catchy song though. Something I think this movie actually does good is the songs which I think you are a little harsh on some of them like "Can you feel the love tonight". Though you are right that comic relief characters probably shouldn't book end love songs, I think the dragons(Some of the worst comic relief characters I have seen) in quest for Camelot do the same thing to the love song in that movie but I can't remember.
After your analysis I can see how it is actually tonally inconsistent which I didn't care about when I was little but now it does annoy me, especially silly into serious moments or stupid comments into romantic parts. Also I hate when movies use fart jokes, especially when they use them so many times.
Also like you said I wish they spent more time with the end and his struggle. I kind of understand why the lionesses don't attack at first but like you said after they saw he was ruining the land they probably should have acted. I guess they might not have acted because he was the only male there so I guess without him their whole lion line would end, but it didn't seem like there were any children there anyway. 🤷♀️
Anyway great analysis, I would love to see your thoughts on the second movie and it's characters. I personally like Simba's daughter Kiara and even more than her the guy Kovu in that movie better than Simba. I think they have more personality. But I am curious what do you think?
The song does have a point, it's the Disney "I want" song, like how Ariel has her song about wanting to go up to the land. It's a classic musical trope that most Disney movies follow.
Also if you want me to go deeper, it provides a good contrast between the bright sunny pridelands and the desolate elephant graveyard. By having that bright cherry song, it makes the next scene all the more tense.
In addition, it provides the kids a good way to get away from Zazu, and shows Simba's and Bala's dynamic well as they work together to slip away, both taunting him in silly ways that show how alike they are, and why they work as a couple (even if they deny it at this point)
It's also a great sequence for the animators to flex their creative muscles, which I'm always for. It's the kind of sequence that shows why this is best as an animated film than live action, with the spectacular finale to the song and the lion cubs riding the animals.
Also also, it's set up for Simba's arc into becoming a good king. It's a great way of showing how he doesn't fully understand what being a king is, and how childish he is. It's much better than a simple dialogue scene between him and Zazu arguing, because it's a musical. You're supposed to communicate emotional scenes like this through song. Like how Scar sings about wanting power rather than just sharing to his hyenas, hey I'm gonna rule the Pridelands.
It super does have a point! I could probably even find other reasons if I analysed it more, this is just off the top of my head.
@@bigbadgammagnome I like all the connections you made to moments later in the film. You put a lot of thought into your response I commend you for that. Thank you for replying to my comment with logic and reasoning, I respect your opinion. It is always interesting to hear how others feel about moments because the different feelings and connections something makes with different people are one of the beauties of a story.
I watched the lion king way back when I was on 1st grade and I'm currently 23. One of the reasons why I do consider this a classic masterpiece is mainly because of nostalgia, and I do agree on some of your points watching it again when I was 21.
Sorry but I think Wreck It Ralph, Moana and Raya and The Last Dragon are overrated where as Lion King is the best movie ever made!
I actually agree on Moana and Raya being overrated, Wreck-It Ralph however, gonna have to disagree there.
Wreck it Ralph overrated? In what world?
This is definitely a hot take but I was interested to see what you'd say considering everyone else seems to love this movie. And honestly I agree with you. I still think this movie is "good" but there's plenty of better movies, especially better Disney movies. It's still a movie I wouldn't mind my future children watch, but nothing special.
THANK YOU!!! I have consistently felt like I was crazy for this LOL! I completely agree with everything that you said, except I actually have one more gripe with it that actually makes me actively DISlike it if anything... I really hate Simba as a character- like not as in he's bland, as in his behavior is downright bad. I think a good part of that is meant to be the morals, like listening to + respecting your parents so that bad stuff doesn't happen plus accepting responsibility, but like you said, the emphasis just isn't enough that the build up ever felt worth it. And I really hate that EVERYONE, from Mufasa to Scar and basically everyone in between, treated Zazu like garbage with no real consequence. I remember watching it for the first time as a kid and not even being able to get past the opening part because I was just so mad that Simba disobeyed his dad like that and was treating Zazu so poorly. Also the way the "I Just can't Wait to be King" song is framed not only feels really spoiled and entitled but also, if you know how royalty lineage works, implies that he wants his dad dead-- I don't think they really wanted you to think that far but like even as a pretty young kid I knew how it worked and it's hard NOT to make the connection 🤷♀ As an adult I obviously do not get so butthurt that I just quit in the middle of a movie just because a character is mean LOL-- BUT when I rewatched it I can't say I wound up liking Simba much more than I did as a kid. I get that Zazu is supposed to be kind of annoying??? But I just saw him as a caring and overly cautious type that I really just wanted to give a hug after all the ab*se he got in this movie haha- and then to add onto it the seeming lack of accountability from Simba as a ruler that is supposed to be the lesson but just kinda comes across as him being just as self-centered as before, idk...
This was quite a fascinating and refreshing video to watch. I’ve never ever seen someone criticize Lion King to this level before.
Well, look on the bright side, Rockotar, when the police find your body in the river tomorrow morning they can look at this video and see why it happened.
I shouldn't have to clarify this but UA-cam is stupid and people don't think anymore but this is clearly a joke and a joke about people who get irrationally angry about unpopular opinions. Lion King is good but we all know that Beauty and the Beast or The Hunchback of Notre Dame or even Mulan are the ultimate masterpieces in the Disney Renaissance catalog.
Also the little mermaid it saved Disney from dying it needs some attention
Usually their movies are adaptations of books, but this is just Disney hoping you’re never heard of Kimba the White Lion.
honestly i never cared for the lion king as a kid, i always just found it boring at the time, so i cant even pull the nostalgia card for this one lol. while i do think it is a pretty good movie i never considered it disneys magnum opus as alot of people make it out to be, so thank you for making sure i wasn't the only one.
To be honest, I don't care for this movie as much as other Disney movies
I completely agree. In my opinion, the movie is fantastic. Up until Timon and Pumbaa show up. They absolutely butcher the tone.
I hoped they would be toned down in the broadway musical. But sadly, that isn’t the case. I do prefer the broadway show over the movie though. If you haven’t watched it, it might give some more perspective. The scene with Rafiki and Simba is extended, and has one of the best songs (“He lives in you”). And the sets and costumes are absolutely stunning
I did meet an egomaniac who claimed that this movie was the best movie ever and that everybody loves The Lion King. If only I can see the look on his face when he sees this right now.
it's definitely a great movie. the one thing that bugged me was the climatic fight. I thought it was kinda dumb when the hyenas are getting their asses handed to them by the good guys
I'd rather watch Hercules or Hunchback of Notre Dame even The Black Cauldron than watch The Lion King
You’ve convinced me! I’ve changed my mind! (Although I was never really that attached to the film to begin with) I’m actually going to be uploading my own video essay on my channel soon, and its encouraging to see awesome content like yours. (You would not believe how hard it is to find channels that aren’t full of expletives as they analyze PG cartoons) Keep up the good work!
It doesn't make sense that all animals are welcome to live in the pridelands but not the hyenas.