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The premise of Black is King is to take the concepts found in The Lion King and showcase them with humans telling the story through musical performance and unique aesthetics. Before diving into the elements of film, it is important to raise two criticisms that Disney has faced from members of its fan base that are African-American. For many years, viewers wanted to see a black princess in a mainstream Disney film. The character was finally featured in 2009’s The Princess and the Frog. The other criticism was that The Lion King, as an animated film, does not depict humans from Kenya or other places in Africa. Disney has put an end to that criticism and produced a highly creative film depicting humans that should remove the stigma of the criticism.
Beyonce is the star of the show. She was one of the writers for the script, a co-director and choreographer for the production. She even made several new songs exclusively for the film, each of which could be chart-topping songs on top 40 radio today. Beyonce has been on a roll in her career lately, producing a lot of creative works that her fans appreciate. However, Black is King takes the medium of film to a new level. It has been a long time for me as a critic, to observe a film with such beautiful aesthetics and powerful messages for its viewers.
There are many messages throughout the film that they get from The Lion King. The first of which is recognizing “who you are”. It was a direct message to all the people of Africa and black people living throughout the diaspora that they have a historical past in which many would be descendants of some of the great Kings and Queens in the ancient world. Another similar theme is to “know thyself” which is an ancient African proverb used to get people to become aware of their ancestors, what they represent and how they influence your life today. There was a strong emphasis placed on people having the responsibility to be accountable for themselves and their families with the understanding that they will one day be reunited with their ancestors and stand in glory as an inspiration to the generations that are to come after them. It was the depiction of the circle of life in human form. The film also underscores the fact that life is a literal circle because everyone goes back to where they come from; each of us comes from God, we live our lives in honor of the creator who has manifested a divine destiny within us, and we ultimately return to God in the form of great ancestors to be with God timelessly.
Disney should be applauded for greenlighting a film of this nature. Most studios probably would not give it a chance due to the diversity that is present within the film. In the real world, there are at least hundreds of different ethnic groups on the continent of Africa and hundreds of millions of African descendants throughout the world. Unfortunately, conflicts between ethnic groups happen far too often. However, Black is King unifies all cultures by featuring a cast of native Africans and those throughout the diaspora, music that is a collaboration between native sounds, Caribbean flavor and hip-hop. It is a shining example of people of different ethnic groups coming together to tell a great story which occurs rarely in society and the film industry in particular.
Beyonce’s original music is incredible, and her choreography is spectacular. The film never lets up. All of the musical pieces are interconnected and presented in a very direct and effective manner. As a viewer it may be hard to take your eyes away from the film because you don’t want to miss what happens next. Every film aspect is interwoven into a wonderful tapestry that is stunning to observe.
Black is King is now streaming on Disney+