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
Anybody who struts around with Simba's hard-won authority deserves this royal DVD read-along from Disney. Kids can recoil at Uncle Scar's dastardly deeds en español and discover that "hakuna matata" sounds pretty much the same in Spanish, French, Italian, or German. And should the dynamic storytelling fail to thrill your 4- to 12-year-old fan, a flurry of other interactive options await. Toggle to "Songs" for sing-along renditions of movie hits, including "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," and on to "Music Videos," where Elton John roars soundtrack favorites "Circle of Life" and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" and Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M groove to "Hakuna Matata." The "Vocabulary" feature allows for see-and-say mastery of a list of wildlife, while the "Game" section allows players to match paw and hoof prints to the proper beast and reassemble the scattered skeletal remains of an elephant. Original cast voices are featured, and grownups will be pleased by the package's reading component. --Tammy La Gorce
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Defective DVD, does not play, Still waiting for response on replacement over 1 month later!:
I ordered this DVD for my sons birthday back in mid July. When it came it would not play in the DVD player. I emailed, the original response I got was to see if it played in the computer. I didn't purchase it to play on the computer, I purchased it for the DVD player. I was told I could ship it back for a refund. I asked about a shipping label and a replacement, and was told a replacement would be mailed to be by July 31st. Still no replacement! And when I email, I get no response. Very disappointed! My son... more info
disappointed-n-upset:
When I purchased this dvd I paid for a NEW movie and was under the empression that was what I would be getting, Instead what I received was a burned copy that was not sealed, even the cover and book inside were copies, The movie wont play the dvd player has a message that the disk is dirty.My child was and still is upset due to the fact that the movie wont play. I'm very disappointed and upset that people can and do take advantage of people.
Perfect film:
I love this film for the five main reasons. Reason 1: I like all the characters in this except Scar, the main baddie. He annoys me just slightly (although I like his voice). Reason 2: The scenery portrays a beautiful vision of Africa and it makes me feel like I'm really there. Reason 3: The plot is very beautiful and it has made me want to read "Hamlet" on which the plot was based! Reason 4: This film has beautiful songs! My favourite is "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?" (written by Elton John) but I love... more info
Epic:
The best Disney animated film ever...This film had it all, it was funny, emotional, had family drama, and above all, great animation and songs! My personal favorite character is Rafiki, the Baboon! I still cant forget the line he says to Simbe, "Past can hurt, but as I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it!" it is so true! i loved Zazu's weirdness, and shenzi's humor, above all, i loved Pumba's innocence and Timon's intelligence! In short, i found the film the best film ever... The voice cast... more info
