Musical king-of-the-beasts blockbuster is powerful, scary.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Products & Purchases
some
While there's no consumerism in the movie itself, this is one of Disney's biggest blockbusters and has myriad merchandise tie-ins, including video games, toys, straight-to-DVD sequels and even a Broadway musical.
Violence & Scariness
some
There are some seriously scary scenes and bloody fights between animals. In one harrowing sequence, a father lion is trampled to death by a stampede of wildebeest after saving his cub. That parental death is a pivotal point in the movie, and it haunts the son throughout the second half of the film. Another lion is responsible for his brother's death and later tries to get rid of his nephew. A group of hyenas terrorizes two cubs and eventually acts as a scavenger army. A character is killed by hyenas, but viewers don't see the actual murder.
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The Lion King focuses on the idea of family, love, and sacrifice. Mufasa's willingness to save Simba exhibits unconditional love. As Simba grows up, he comes to understand that he has a responsibility to his father's kingdom to take his place.
Positive Role Models
some
Simba learns to face his problems and how to be a good leader. He demonstrates courage, perseverance, and humility. His parents are selfless and loving. Some have remarked that the hyenas' characterization brings some negative stereotypes to mind.
Educational Value
very little
This isn't an educational film, but it does provide many lessons about family and responsibility.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Lion King is considered one of Disney's greatest animated musicals, but it does have some scary moments. The most disturbing violence is the death of Simba's father, Mufasa, by a stampede of wildebeests. The bloodthirsty hyenas, who scavenge for food and threaten Simba and his friends, are also frightening. But despite a few sad sequences and a few evil characters (and a few exclamatory uses of "Jeez"), the overall message is one of hope, love, and family responsibility. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I hated the characters, the songs, and all other elements of the film. The pro-monarchist message doesn't help matters. If the animals had formed an autonomous collective, I would give it a second star.
I like how The Lion King shows younger kids that the circle of life goes on and on forever and how it shows how to become brave and powerful this movie is surprising and a feel-good movie is terrific for me
What's the Story?
THE LION KING is the story of Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a child and Matthew Broderick as an adult), the cub of Mufasa (James Earl Jones), the king of the jungle. Simba "just can't wait to be king." But his evil Uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons), bitterly jealous of Mufasa, wants to be king, so he arranges for Mufasa to be killed in a stampede and makes Simba think he's responsible. Simba runs away and finds friends in Pumbaa the warthog (Ernie Sabella) and Timon the meerkat (Nathan Lane), who advise him that the best philosophy is "hakuna matata" (no worries). Simba grows up thinking that he has escaped his past, but his childhood friend Nala finds him and tells him that, under Scar's leadership, the tribe has suffered badly.
One of Disney's biggest hits, this excellent film has echoes of Shakespeare, bringing to mind the plots of both Richard III and Hamlet. The Lion King was not just a movie but a marketing phenomenon: This blockbuster was the highest grossing film of 1994. Of course kids won't know -- or care -- about that; they'll just be enthralled by the memorable songs and great characters.
The scene in which cub Simba's father, Mufasa, is trampled to death, is both sad and genuinely scary. And some of the fights between animals later in the movie can be frightening as well. But the lesson Simba learns -- that you have to stand up to your problems instead of running away from them -- is a solid one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about facing your problems instead of running from them as Simba does in The Lion King. Why doesn't the idea of "hakuna matata" or "no worries" always work? Can anyone get through life without a little worry and conflict?
Talk about the violence and scariness in this movie. What was the most disturbing part? How would the movie be different without the intense moments? How did music and other factors contribute to the intense scenes?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
