As I
continue to write stories for books and screenplays, I want to create good,
strong protagonists who have strong character development. For me, these
characters are people my audience can relate to and believe are real. Someone
you’d want to hang out with on a daily basis. An example of this is Simba from
"The Lion King (1994)."
Now,
Disney and director Jon Favreau announced they are making a live-action “Lion King”
remake, which will be released in 2019. I think they run the risk of ruining
the original film by focusing on a remake of it, like 2016’s “The Jungle Book.”
Filmmakers should
not sacrifice creativity and originality just to make a quick buck at the box
office.
The original
“Lion King” is one of my favorite films. At first I saw it as an adventure
story: a young cub named Simba grows up wanting to be king and must fight in
order to reclaim it. As a cub, he just wants to have fun, but then as he grows
up and gets older into a young adult, he matures into the king we all know him
to be—the real lion he is.
Through
my time at Benedictine College and with my friends I met there, I learned to
“see” the elements that go into filmmaking and creating a good story, not just
“watching” a film. Basically taking the entire film and characters into
consideration and really think about them and “Why” this is happening in the
film.
I have
a better understanding about the message of “The Lion King,” one that is
important for young men and women today.
“The
Lion King” isn’t just a family adventure film; it’s a young man’s journey—or in
this case, a young lion’s—to become his true self with confidence and courage.
Once
Simba found that strength inside him to return home, he was able to overcome
his fear and be bold, showing that passionate zeal that makes him a lion and
the king Nala knows he is.
Simba
experiences great changes in his life as he grows up. From a highly confident
cub, he becomes a stronger and more mature young adult, having the strong
character of a good man and showing that he is real.
Believing
that he was responsible for his father's death, Simba ran away from home instead
of facing his fears. But with a little help and a hard hit on the head, Simba
now has the strength and courage to not let his past control him or decide his
future, his destiny. He therefore is able to defeat his evil uncle Scar and
take his rightful place as King of Pride Rock. That is why Simba is a good
feature film character young men can relate to. I know I myself have been in
Simba's place on more than one occasion, and I work hard to persevere and keep
going – to be real and to be a good man.
Another
character trait I like about Simba as a person is his relationship with Nala,
his future wife. There’s a reason people tell you that when you get married
you’re marrying your best friend (because that’s how you should treat your
spouse), and that’s true in Simba’s case. He and Nala were best friends growing
up, and their friendship
grew as they get older and Simba matured on his hero’s journey. At
first Simba just wants to have fun with Nala, but soon he changes. We see this when Simba
risks his life to save Nala from the hyenas and even rushes in to protect her,
after he puts them in harm’s way. He goes back for her. Later, Nala tells him
that she thinks he was brave. Once Simba sees Nala again when they’re young
adults, his feelings for her start to become true love. They have their good
and bad moments, along with their strengths and weaknesses, but they still love
each other. They complement each other.
Simba
has that will and potential to be a great leader, and Nala sees that in him. She
also gives him a reason to fight, just as she did all those years ago. She
pushes him to step up into his role as the rightful king and supports him.
Nala
knows Simba is a good lion and that he is real. She’s already strong and brave,
and Simba reaches that point in his life where he acts like a man when he
decides to return to Pride Rock. He becomes that real man he’s supposed to
be.
Our
own journey in life is like Simba’s journey, each with our own destination. We
see at the end of the film that good things happen when a young man steps up as
a man and continues to work hard, pushing himself harder. Simba overcame his
doubt in order to defeat Scar and he became a better lion because of it. We
can’t let our past failures prevent us from being better men and women and move
forward, always forward, in our lives.
As
one crazy monkey says, "The past can hurt. But in my experience, you can
either run from it or learn from it.”
The
Lion King is more than just an adventure film; it's a reflection about our
lives and where we're going. Like Simba, we grow into that person we're meant
to be. We're faced with challenges and decisions that define us, and how we act
during those times makes us who we are.
Let's
hope Favreau stays true to “The Lion King” story while respecting the source
material and creating his own take on this film classic.
Like
writing and creating stories, a real dating relationship is a working progress.
It is grounded in mutual respect and true love, that desire to want what’s best
for the other person and will yourself to want their good above your own. It
should be fun and serious, and you must be going all in when pursuing a
potential spouse, giving it your all and everything you got. That's what true
love is, and what it demands sacrifice and commitment from each person. As
young men and women, we should
do our best in life by pursuing a true and loving and faithful relationship
that'll last. That's our mission in life. We can't settle for less.
Now
that I’m twenty-four and able to analyze films better, I try my best to deepen my
commitment to the values I formed during my time as a Benedictine College
student and be faithful to the story everyday.
Simba
was able to overcome his fear and became a better person because of it.
What
will we decide?
