--- title: "The Lion King: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-lion-king/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-lion-king" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Lion King (1994): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 14 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics admire the film, and the praise gathers around the same things. The hand-drawn animation comes first: the wildebeest stampede and the opening sequence are named repeatedly as the moments that justify the scale. The voice cast is rated highly, Jeremy Irons’s Scar above all, and the Elton John and Tim Rice songs are credited with driving the story. Several reviewers note how seriously the film treats loss and responsibility for a children’s picture, and count that a strength. The spread is wide: there is no middle ground, only admirers and a small group who dislike it outright. The New Yorker finds the father’s death manipulative and the harmonious view of nature unconvincing; The Independent reads it as a reactionary cheer for the status quo; Sight and Sound finds it saccharine and portentous beside earlier Disney. Even supporters concede a predictable, product-like feel and some thematic obviousness, and Time Out is unmoved by the soundtrack. Timon is the one thing nearly everyone enjoys. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 24 June 1994. The film is a superbly drawn animated feature that is surprisingly solemn, dealing with real issues like loss and responsibility in a way that prepares children for life's lessons. It balances fantasy with jungle realities while delivering strong performances, especially the villain Scar, and memorable sequences. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lion-king-1994) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2002. The critic praises this 1994 Disney classic about a noble lion cub cheated of his kingdom, now gloriously presented on the giant Imax canvas as a cracking Christmas treat. The animation is simple and bold, the songs drive the story with terrific fervour, and there are superb moments of family treachery and poignancy. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/dec/20/artsfeatures3) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Duane Byrge Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2016. The critic calls the film a magnificent animated feature and certain blockbuster that will appeal across all age groups with its wise storyline, heart, humor and energy. Directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff are praised for crafting a multidimensional film whose crowning glories are the animators' majestic work. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/lion-king-thrs-1994-review-2-906559/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2013. The critic praises the film's animation for its spectacle and dramatic impact, especially the wildebeest stampede, and highlights the strong voice performances and Elton John/Tim Rice soundtrack. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lion-king-review/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 4/5. 20 March 2012. The re-release confirms the film's enduring appeal through its sharp script, satisfying story and peerless vocal performances, despite a weak pseudo-world-music soundtrack. Few 3D enhancements alter the experience for those who saw it originally. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-lion-king-3d) ## Slant Magazine — Rob Humanick Rating ★★★. 12 September 2011. Spectacle often dominates meaning to reductive effect, with thematic obviousness and cultural insensitivity, yet the film remains inventive and beautiful with breathtaking scenery and rapturous imagery. It works best when closest to its Shakespearean and biblical inspirations but opts for distraction over genuine wisdom or pathos. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-lion-king-5750/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 1994. The Lion King is visually enchanting and contrived with spirited prettiness that no child will resist, placing it in the arc of neo-Disney classics. It has the feeling of a clever, predictable product that departs from the spontaneity of predecessors but succeeds as a spirited animal-loving entertainment. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/15/movies/review-film-the-hero-within-the-child-within.html) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 1994. The critic finds the film saccharine and pompously aspirational in its Shakespearean allegory and original story, with flashy computer effects undermining the usual Disney charm. Fun elements like Timon and Scar's voice work are overshadowed by portentousness, making it inferior to earlier Disney classics like The Jungle Book. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/features/ultimatefilm/chart/details.php?ranking=94) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 6 October 1994. The critic finds the film a reactionary cheer for the status quo that stigmatizes the underclass while offering an ecological gloss. Its visuals are stunning but the storytelling amounts to fast-food reactionary drivel. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-more-whimper-than-roar-the-lion-king-u-dir-rob-minkoff-us-minna-tannenbaum-12-dir-martine-dogowson-fr-funny-man-18-dir-simon-sprackling-uk-1441482.html) ## The New Yorker — Terrence Rafferty Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 1994. The film shamelessly manipulates children's emotions through the father's death and guilt, while presenting a bizarre, unconvincing vision of nature as a harmonious ecosystem where prey happily serve predators. The critic singles out the comic relief, particularly Nathan Lane's Timon, for providing the few moments of genuine joy amid the tonal whiplash. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/06/20/no-pussycat) ## Digital Spy — Mayer Nissim Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. The 1994 film remains every bit as good as remembered, succeeding through its epic yet simple storytelling, strong vocal performances (especially Jeremy Irons as Scar), memorable Elton John/Tim Rice songs, and enduring hand-drawn animation that avoids looking dated. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a343876/the-lion-king-3d-review/) ## The Ringer — Jake Kring-Schreifels Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 July 2019. The piece celebrates the 1994 film as a landmark Disney achievement created by an underdog team of mostly inexperienced animators. It singles out the innovative hand-drawn animation techniques and epic scope, particularly the Circle of Life opening sequence, for making the story transportive and emotionally resonant. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2019/07/19/movies/the-lion-king-original-animation-1994) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 24 October 2011. The critic calls the 1994 film the best of Disney's late-80s/90s run and a crowning achievement that reimagines classic stories in a fresh way. They single out its blend of beauty, pain, Shakespearean influences, and warm humor as particularly effective for children while noting a minor complaint about an overt Nazi comparison in Scar's rule. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-lion-king-blu-ray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 August 2011. Festival review. The critic finds the 3D re-release of the 1994 animated classic a worthwhile update that enhances the viewing experience without losing any of the film's essential emotional and comedic elements. She singles out the immersive depth added to the hand-drawn animation, particularly from the opening frames, as the standout feature that makes viewers appreciate the visuals anew. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-lion-king-3d-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-lion-king.md