DISNEY
A maturing Simba enjoys the carefree life with his friends Pumbaa the warthog and Timon the meerkat. But a nagging sense of responsibility keeps him from completely forgetting his former life as heir to the throne in "The Lion King," now showing at the Waikiki IMAX Theatre.
‘Lion King’ roars We all know the drill by now -- it's Simba, "Hakuna Matata," Scar, hyenas, Pride Rock, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," Mufasa, Nala, "Be Prepared," "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and the "Circle of Life."
to life on giant
IMAX screen
By Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comBut now Disney's biggest-grossing animated film of all time is on a screen four stories high with enough speaker power that each lion's roar reverberates through your chest. It is as emotionally compelling as it is beautiful in this almost overpowering format. This 1994 tale about the noble lion cub cheated of his kingdom is gloriously spread out on the IMAX canvas, but I strongly advise sitting well to the back of the auditorium if you don't want to be overwhelmed by the screen's sheer size.
"The Lion King" is similar to "The Jungle Book" with its Kiplingesque view of a well-ordered animal kingdom. No humans in this jungle: The lions are the masters here, and the film has superb moments of family treachery and unrivaled poignancy as Simba the lion cub stands over his dead father's body. It makes for major chicken skin.
The movie has moments of fun and humor, to be sure, but the undercurrent is of a far more serious and adult nature. "The Lion King" is clearly about guilt and redemption.
Rated G The IMAX Special Edition of "The Lion King"
Playing at Waikiki IMAX Theatre
Simba, a young lion cub (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and heir to his father's throne, is led to believe that he was the cause of the king's death. The trauma caused by this is so great that Simba goes into self-exile, attempting to find peace of mind through anonymity in the company of a warthog and a meerkat, Pumbaa and Timon (Ernie Sabella and Nathan Lane).
But it's never that easy to escape the past. The "Hamlet" parallels are all there for the discerning adult to note. Mufasa, king of the lions (James Earl Jones), is killed by a treacherous brother who subsequently takes over the rule of the kingdom. The now-grown Simba (Matthew Broderick) is wracked by guilt and is helpless until the ghost of his father gives him instruction on what actions he should take.
The film is most concerned with its young hero's coming of age and the responsibilities that arrive with adulthood -- including the need to confront guilt and its associated fear.
Scar, Simba's treacherous uncle (Jeremy Irons), is the latest in a long line of memorable Disney antagonists. He is a sinister figure, given to acid remarks and cunning villainy. The coldhearted manner in which he causes Mufasa's death lets us know that this is not a lion to be trifled with.
The animation is simple, bold and, in the IMAX format, breathtakingly beautiful and seamless with fluency and muscular confidence. As much attention is given to small background details as to foreground principals. Lighting and color are used to highlight the shifting tone of the picture, from the sunny warmth of Mufasa's kingdom to the dreary barrenness of Scar's.
Hans Zimmer's score, along with the Elton John-Tim Rice songs, drive the story forward with terrific fervor -- more so when heard over the gigantic IMAX theater speakers.
The IMAX format puts the audience right in the middle of the migrating herds, the expansive grassy plains and the attacks by hyenas.
From the opening "Circle of Life" sequence, I felt "The Lion King" is more at home on the large-format screen. Chills come one after another and the laughs are bigger. Mufasa's voice booms with authority (not surprising since it is, after all, James Earl Jones), and the bittersweet tinge of the film is all the more heartbreaking.
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