The Lion King Christian Movie Review (2019)

Guidance: Talk Together

The film has mainstream PG-level peril, some scary intensity, and a few crude jokes, but its bigger weight for Christian families is its moral and spiritual framing of identity, leadership, and the natural order. Parents may want to talk through the film’s view of authority, grief, and what true kingship means.

Why This Guidance Level

This is a familiar family adventure with PG-level peril, a few scary moments, and light crude humor, so the surface content stays in a manageable range for many households. The bigger reason for discernment is the film’s worldview: it treats life, death, and order through a spiritualized “circle of life” lens and places a lot of weight on identity, inheritance, and kingship. That gives parents useful openings for conversation rather than a simple yes-or-no reaction.

Faith & Worldview Perspective

The film strongly values courage, stewardship, family responsibility, and the idea that power should be used for service rather than selfish gain. At the same time, it frames the world through a natural-spiritual cycle that can blur the Creator-creature distinction and leaves room for parents to contrast the film’s wisdom with Christian hope in Christ, where life, death, and authority are understood under God’s rule.

Truths Reflected

• Leadership is stewardship, not self-exaltation.
• Family identity and responsibility matter.

Tensions to Discuss

• The ‘circle of life’ presents death and nature in a spiritualized way that differs from biblical creation and resurrection hope.
• The film’s kingship language can be discussed alongside Christ’s true authority and servant leadership.

Content & Discernment Markers

Occult & Spiritual Content

• The opening and Mufasa’s explanation of the “circle of life” give the film a spiritual tone, with death, nature, and belonging folded into a single cosmic cycle: “Through despair and hope… Through faith and love.” It is not occult practice, but the worldview is more mystical than explicitly biblical, so parents may want to discuss how this differs from God as Creator and from Christian hope in Christ.

Sexuality & Relationships

• Sexual content does not stand out here. The story focuses on family bonds, inheritance, and leadership rather than romance or sexual material.

Identity Themes

• Simba’s identity is shaped by his place in the family and his future role as king. Mufasa tells him, “One day… the sun will set on my time here… and will rise with you as the new king,” while Scar twists that identity with manipulation and resentment. Parents may want to discuss how identity is received from God, not just from status or family role.

Violence & Intensity

• The film has tense animal threats, hyena danger, and a frightening death scene that carries real emotional weight. Lines like “If you wish to kill something…” and “An elephant graveyard is no place for a young prince” set up a darker tone than many lighter Disney stories, and the final conflict adds more danger. Parents may want to discuss fear, loss, and how courage is shown under pressure.

Language & Humour

• Language stays mild, but Scar’s sarcasm and the comic banter include put-downs and immature humor. Timon and Pumbaa bring the main crude material, especially flatulence jokes and playful gross-out lines, which are more silly than harsh but still worth noting for younger viewers.

Other Content Notes

• The film’s strongest moral thread is the contrast between Scar’s selfishness and Mufasa’s teaching that “a true king searches for what he can give.” That leadership theme is one of the movie’s best conversation points for Christian families.

Notable Moments

• Circle of life opening: The film begins with a sweeping musical celebration of life, death, and belonging, setting a spiritual tone that shapes the whole story.

  “It’s the circle of life”

• Mufasa’s kingship lesson: Mufasa teaches Simba that rule is about protection and giving, not taking. This is one of the clearest moral moments in the film.

  “A true king searches for what he can give.”

• Scar’s betrayal: Scar’s resentment and hidden hostility come through in his exchange with Mufasa, ending in a chilling line that signals his treachery.

  “Then long live the king.”

• Hyena threat: The Pride Lands are put on alert as hyenas hunt, creating a tense and frightening stretch for younger viewers.

  “Hyenas in the Pride Lands. They’re on the hunt!”

Discussion Prompts

• Leadership and stewardship: What makes Mufasa’s idea of a good king different from Scar’s idea of power?
  • Biblical guidance: Scripture presents leadership as service, not self-promotion. Jesus says the greatest is the servant, and rulers are accountable to God.
  • Scripture: Mark 10:42-45, Luke 22:26, 1 Peter 5:2-3
• Identity and calling: How does Simba’s identity get shaped by family, fear, and responsibility, and what would it mean to find identity in God instead?
  • Biblical guidance: A Christian view roots identity in being made by God and redeemed in Christ, not in status, performance, or family legacy alone.
  • Scripture: Genesis 1:27, Ephesians 2:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17
• Death and hope: What does the movie say happens in death, and how is that different from the Christian hope of resurrection in Jesus Christ?
  • Biblical guidance: The Bible teaches that death is not just part of a cycle; it is an enemy Christ defeats, and believers hope in resurrection and new creation.
  • Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, John 11:25-26, Revelation 21:4
• Truth and deception: How does Scar use lies and half-truths to shape Simba’s choices?
  • Biblical guidance: Scripture warns that deception destroys trust, while truth belongs to God and should shape our words and decisions.
  • Scripture: John 8:44, Ephesians 4:25, Proverbs 12:22