The Lion King (1994)

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Lion King (1994)

The film opens with a gathering of countless animals around Pride Rock in Africa, where Rafiki the mandrill presents the newborn lion cub, Simba, of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi. The only resident of the Pride Lands who is not happy in the least about this is Scar, Mufasa's younger brother, who desires the throne for himself. Simba grows quickly and is taught everything about the Pride Lands, including the neighbouring Outlands, ruled by the ruthless hyenas and forbidden for residents of the Pride Lands. When Scar "accidentally" lets slip that the Outlands consist of an Elephant Graveyard, Simba and his best friend, Nala, outsmart Mufasa's majordomo, Zazu, venture out into the Outlands and stumble across three hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, who promptly try to kill them in the ensuing chase. Mufasa arrives to rescue the cubs in time, having been alerted by Zazu, and teaches Simba an emotional lesson in bravery and valour.

Meanwhile, Scar plots with the hyenas to kill both Mufasa and Simba to take over the Pride Lands. On Scar's orders, the hyenas ignite a stampede of wildebeest in a gorge where Simba is, because Scar told him to stay there. Scar rushes to inform Mufasa, who manages to save Simba but is betrayed and thrown off the cliff by Scar, where he hits the ground with great force, is impaled on some of the wildebeest's horns, and is trampled. Simba finds his father's lifeless corpse in the middle of the gorge. Scar arrives and tricks Simba into thinking it was he was responsible for Mufasa's death. Due to the shame of such an act, he encourages Simba to leave the Pride Lands and never return. Simba immediately turns and runs away, while almost immediately Scar orders the hyenas to follow and kill Simba. A chase follows but Simba manages to escape. In Simba's absence, Scar uses the opportunity to state that both Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and profess himself as king. He takes over the Pride Lands and also allows the hyenas entry to the pride.

Simba, however upon fleeing is found collapsing in the wasteland by Timon, a meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warthog, who nurse him back to health and take him in, teaching him the ways of their motto, "Hakuna Matata". Years later, once Simba is an adult, he encounters Nala, who was trying to maul Timon and Pumbaa. Nala expresses her delight at discovering Simba alive, and informs him of how Scar's irresponsibility as King of the Pride Lands is going to drive everyone into starvation and eventual death. Still wracked with guilt over supposedly causing his father's death, Simba refuses to return and overthrow Scar, but Rafiki, having tracked Simba down, leads him to the ghost of Mufasa, which reminds Simba who he is and how he must take his rightful place as King of the Pride Lands.

Simba returns with Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. While Timon and Pumbaa distract the hyenas, Simba confronts Scar atop Pride Rock after Scar strikes Sarabi across the face. Scar turns the tables by revealing that Simba caused Mufasa's demise and forcing Simba towards the edge of Pride Rock, where he holds on for dear life. Just before Scar can throw the "traitor" off, he quietly reveals that it was he who murdered Mufasa. In his rage, Simba leaps back up and pins Scar, forcing him to reveal his treachery to the public. A violent fight ensues between the hyenas and lionesses while Simba confronts Scar alone at the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs Simba for mercy, accusing the hyenas of planning the whole thing. Simba prepares to show Scar mercy and exile him, but Scar refuses to give up, and the ensuing fight ends when Simba throws Scar off Pride Rock. He survives the fall, but is immediately mauled to death by the hyenas, who overheard his treacherous accusations.

With Scar gone and the hyenas banished, Pride Rock is eventually restored to its previous majesty under Simba's rule. The film closes with Rafiki presenting the animals with Simba and Nala's newborn cub.