This movie deserves its status as a classic! See it again or for the first time with your family. I am probably a good choice to review this movie because, unlike a ton of other people, this was my first time seeing this movie. My wife used to watch it with my son when he was three or four, and they loved it, but I had only seen brief scenes from the film here and there.

“The circle of life” is truly what this terrific film is all about. After the birth of his son, Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas), Mufasa (James Earl Jones), the current king, immediately begins training him for his future reign. However, Mufasa’s younger brother Scar (Jeremy Irons) wants the throne and intends to rid Pride Rock of Mufasa, so as to make it easier to rid the land of Simba. He makes a deal with the evil hyenas to help him bump off Mufasa and then Simba.

We must make note of the 3D effects which are, in my opinion, much better than their use in some other films I have seen. The waterfalls and rain bring you right into the scenes with the 3D effects, and at one point it seemed as if a bird flew over my head and then straight in front of me. The jungle scenes are also very nicely portrayed by the 3D effects. In one scene I saw leaves floating down in front of me from the trees. The effects are really nice.

The animation is glorious in this movie and that, along with the great story about the “circle of life”, along with the great characters who come to life in this story, make this a “must see” film. The themes of the continuance of life, loyalty, and doing the right thing are so wonderfully illustrated in this classic picture. Oh, and the music is pretty good too! Be assured the kids are given a happy ending and now I join my wife and son because, frankly, I love this movie too! We happily award it our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal for all ages.