The Lion King

The Lion King
reviewed by Greta Christina

Okay, it's not quite as bad as I'd expected. (Not that that's saying a whole hell of a lot -- I'd expected it to be unspeakably awful.) The animation is drop-dead gorgeous, and it does have some funny lines. And although the music is pretty dreadful (written by Elton John -- need I say more?), it's not quite up to Disney's usual nauseatingly repulsive saccharine standards. But the story, as you might have guessed, is utterly predictable, shamelessly manipulative, and dumb beyond belief. Furthermore, it reads like a sycophant's defense of hereditary monarchy, aristocratic privilege, and the continued subjugation of the underclass; or, as my friend Chip put it, "Disney's usual royalist claptrap." Moral of the story: Blood will tell. Now, there's a terrific lesson for the kiddies. My recommendation: See it with a Walkman, some good weird music, and your favorite hallucinogen.

Copyright 1994 Greta Christina. Originally published in San Francisco Bay Times.