The Lion King

In short

The Lion King keeps showing strong family love (Mufasa and Simba), courage, friendship and, at its heart, a story about facing up to your responsibilities rather than running from them. Its best moments are Mufasa's lessons on true bravery and respect for all creatures, Simba owning up to his past, and Simba choosing mercy over revenge. On the other side there is a lot of lying, blaming and cruelty from Scar, plenty of insults and name-calling, and the much-loved 'Hakuna Matata' celebrates 'no rules, no responsibilities' until the film corrects it. Young Simba is cheeky, boastful and disobedient early on, mostly played for laughs before he is called out. Watch for genuinely frightening scenes: the hyena chases, the stampede and Mufasa's death with Simba beside his body, Scar's manipulation of a child ('our little secret'), and a violent final battle.

All 15 values

Moments to check (12)

Lines that might mean more than the words say. Watch these bits yourself.

• 00:06:31Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on memediumVeiled threat from Scar to his brother; foreshadows murder
• 00:07:13take him out and beat himlowJoke about beating someone, played for laughs
• 00:12:21Only the bravest lions go therehighAdult uses reverse psychology to lure a child into danger
• 00:13:08it's our little secrethighAdult asks child to keep a secret from parents - worth discussing
• 00:26:42Ooh, it tingles melowCould read as mildly suggestive
• 00:31:35it's to die forhighDark double meaning: Scar is setting up a deadly trap
• 00:35:34Long live the king.highMufasa's murder happens on screen but text only implies it
• 00:45:35Every time that I... Not in front of the kidsmediumImplied fart joke, cut off
• 00:54:41why do I always have to save your...mediumImplied rude word left unsaid
• 01:12:09dress in drag and do the hulalowDrag reference a parent may want to see in context
• 01:13:28I'm ten times the king Mufasa was!mediumPossible on-screen strike against Sarabi not described in text
• 01:20:33No, I didn't mean... No! No!highScar's death by hyenas only implied by sound