Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Horrible animated tale about a bullied vegetarian lion.
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Leo the Lion
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 28 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is utterly terrible, with numerous reviews describing it as a chaotic and nonsensical mess lacking any coherent plot or redeeming qualities. While a few users appreciated the positive message about vegetarianism, the overwhelming consensus is that the animation is poor, the character designs are creepy, and the themes are inappropriate for children, making it a film best avoided.
- terrible animation
- incoherent plot
- creepy characters
- inappropriate themes
- poor message
- avoid watching
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Leo the Lion (Daniel Amerman) is a vegetarian and is therefore shunned, bullied, and ridiculed not only by his fellow lions but also by many other species in the jungle. But he does have some friends, including an elephant mother who has just given birth to two babies. While the evil Maximus Elephante plots to become king of the elephants and the jungle as a whole, the baby elephants believe that Leo is their father. Leo must take these elephants, along with a monkey, a cheetah, and a zebra, home to their mother, but along the way, they must avoid human poachers and jungle predators such as hyenas and vultures.
Is It Any Good?
This movie is so insufferably bad that it seems reasonable to suspect that the meat industry bankrolled it in the hopes of turning off anyone who might be considering becoming a vegetarian. The animation is subpar at best, the voices are annoying, the songs painful are to listen to, and even the pro-vegetarian message is confusing -- apparently Leo is a vegetarian because he is nice and, according to the song at the movie's end, he prefers cheese, ice cream sundaes, and bananas to, say, zebra meat.
Which raises the most glaring problem with this movie. Lions are obligate carnivores. Even if they were capable of choosing a wedge of provolone cheese to the prey they chase, kill, and eat in their natural habitat, they must eat meat to obtain the nutrients they need to survive. Furthermore, they're incapable of digesting any meal-size portions of vegetables. With so many omnivores and herbivores in the world, why would a lion -- a lion who looks underfed with its ribs sticking out -- be chosen to be the torchbearer of a vegetarian lifestyle? This inaccuracy alone undercuts any pro-vegetarian message this movie might convey, but even if a viewer could go that far to suspend disbelief, this is still a shoddy and just plain bad movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about vegetarianism. What are some reasons not to eat meat? Do you know any vegetarians?
What are some of the messages this movie attempts to convey? Do you think the movie makes its point? Why, or why not?
What are some of the ways in which this movie attempts to copy Pixar movies?
If you could remake this movie, how would you improve it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : January 1, 2013
- Cast : Cole Sand , Daniel Amerman , Eileen Galindo
- Director : Mario Cambi
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Weinstein Company
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Run time : 77 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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