The Lion King

The Lowdown

The plot follows a cub finding his way after a family tragedy, a narrative beat that remains heavy despite the corporate sheen. Julie Taymor’s puppetry is the only reason this remains relevant twenty-five years later. While the film’s score by Elton John and Tim Rice hits the necessary nostalgia marks, the sheer scale of the masks often distracts from the thinner parts of the book. It is a spectacle of massive proportions, perfect for visitors who want their theater loud, colorful, and predictable. If you have children or a deep-seated need for giant giraffe stilts, go. Otherwise, save your evening for something that does not require a flight from Ohio.

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