The Lion King 3D

I went to see The Lion King last Saturday in 3D, not so much for the 3D, but for the nostalgia factor. I was in 3rd grade when the movie first came out, and I was more than eager to see it in theaters. In fact, I can't really remember any other movie in my childhood that I was this excited to see other than Aladdin, as that was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. No, The Lion King had me excited, and it affected me in a very deep way.

Needless to say, when Disney was re-releasing it, I was excited. Unlike others on the Internet who were crying, "Cash-in!" and taunting Disney for being unable to make anything new and original, thus stooping to re-releasing older films in 3D, I personally got all tingly inside. It was such a huge part of my childhood and created so many memories for me, seeing as how you couldn't get away from the film, even in the classroom, that I couldn't wait to see it again and watch all the parents bringing in their own children to share it with them.

Now, I don't need to review the film itself, as most people have already seen it a million times. It's a great combination of humor, tragedy, and destiny that few movies manage to mingle to harmoniously with. And, yes, it knocks the socks off of Kimba the White Lion, for those in the audience ready to storm Disney Studios with pitchforks, torches, and AK-47s. And I'll also say that if you're going to knock this film, then maybe you should take a look at Disney's The Little Mermaid, which had scenes taken almost frame-by-frame from an old anime movie - although I still admit that the Disney version is superior, even if they gave it a happy ending.

The question most potential movie-goers are asking is, "Is the 3D worth it?" Allow me to give a resounding, "YES!" I was a bit skeptical at first, especially given that it's an animated film, and especially given that 3D is still in a stage where it's usually more of a gimmick than an experience, but The Lion King lends itself surprisingly well to the medium.

The opening is amazing. It was amazing all those years ago when I first saw it, and it was astounding again, leaving me awestruck. The ending was amazing as well, and the 3D gives the African savanna a depth that makes one feel as though he's looking over an actual plane on the Pride Lands. Everything just looked great, despite the fact that the movie was animated.

I really only had gripes with a few scenes. The 3D effect disappeared at times, although it was neither completely obvious or distracting, and it kind of lessoned the song "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" - a song which could have greatly beneffited it. I also expected a little more of the infamous stampede, but I was so caught up in the emotion of that scene that I honestly didn't care that wildebeasts weren't flying into my face.

So for any last-minute movie-goers wondering if they want to see this movie in 3D, I say to give it a go. It's by far the best post-production 3D film I've seen, and it manages to leave you slack-jawed a few times throughout the film. Go ahead and see it, and if you know of any kids, make sure they go see it too. Oh, and for anybody wondering, yes, this movie is still traumatizing kids, but in a good way. Everyone should see it; it's easily one of Disney's very best.