The Lion King: a story of real masculinity and always moving forward

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?