Le lion blanc de la vallée de Limpopo

This is a sweet movie aimed towards a younger audience but can be enjoyed by adults.

It follows the exploits of a white lion cub as it grows up to be a king of the jungle. Initially rejected by his pride because of his skin color (notice the hidden anti racism message) he soon moves location and befriends another big cat who is later shot by a hunter. Tragedy seems to follow him as his brother dies also early on. The interesting extras on the DVD show how it was made using heaps of lion cubs. Apparently white cub lions are quite common. Children will love some of the footage and enjoy the exploits and message behind the movie. If you get a chance sit down and give it a watch.

WHITE LION 4.8/10 rated PG runtime 90 minutes A labor of love shot over the course of several years, this is, unfortunately, a noble failure. The movie is built around the incredible rapport that Kevin Richardson (the producer) has with animals, particularly lions. This makes for scenes and camera shots that would have been difficult if not impossible for others to do. The problem with the movie is that it is dreadfully slow and somewhat clichéd as well. Gorgeous scenery is offset by continuity problems with the featured lions, who change in appearance markedly between shots, and a stodgy, uninspired film score adds to the woes. John Kani, who is a revered actor in South Africa, narrates the story in a soporific style that underlines the dragging pace of the movie as a whole.

When one thinks of Jean-Jacques Annaud's film The Bear, which is also a story of a young animal fighting for survival, one realizes just how far White Lion was from being the movie that this investment of time and effort deserved. If you do happen to watch this movie on DVD, though, make sure to check the special features: the sight of Kevin playing with his lion friends is just awe-inspiring, and the obvious affection that the lions have for him touching.

I eagerly awaited the arrival of the DVD, so I could watch the movie Kevin Richardson had been talking about in a documentary. I thought: this will be great.

Indeed, some of the shots were magnificent. They would have been great in a documentary. However, the narrator of this film speaks in such a soporific tone I found the whole movie extremely boring. If they would have chosen a different narrator, or would not have let the narrator tell the whole story, but instead would have let the characters actually play more of the story than only the last 20 minutes, this whole movie could have been so much better, and they wouldn't have had to try and make it look exciting by letting the children react certain ways. These reactions were not very convincing, by the way, nor is any of the acting, which is of elementary school level. The music is fine, but seems like a waste, since the movie is so stodgy.

After 70 minutes, it feels like the introduction is still going on and the story still has to start. Still, hardly any connection has been made between the two main characters, Gisani and Letsatsi. Finally, the narrator shuts up at times, which means the movie starts to show some progression. Still, it stays rather boring.

In the end, this movie will not make anyone enthusiastic for saving the lion or any wildlife. It will only make people think wildlife is boring.

Fantastic photography and scenery. The main carácter is a great actress. A love story between a girl and her white lion.

For the most part I enjoyed this movie very much. It is worth watching for the scenery alone (the visuals are easily worth 9/10). There are several areas where the retouched colors and CGI sky is blatantly obvious but it adds a larger-than-life feel to the savanna.

The story, unfortunately, is a mismatching of a folk tale and a Nat Geo documentary. The voice over technique works well enough but the narrator abruptly stops to interact with his audience. This causes the story to jerk between scenes. At the end of 90 minutes I felt like I had been watching for several hours... and not in a good way. Still, it is a tale of courage, strength, and loyalty, and the intended audience (kids) should enjoy it.

Note for parents: as I mentioned, "White Lion" plays a bit like a documentary; there is some raw footage in this film including lions' eating habits and territorial disputes. The themes of death and loss are also touched a few times, albeit briefly. You will want to watch this movie with your little ones so you can explain things to them. (Kids 12+ should have no trouble with it.) I will watch it with my 10-yr-old nieces to reinforce their studies, but the 4-yr-old will have to stick with Dora the Explorer for now.