Scar (The Lion King) is not a lion to be trifled with." A film that features the voices of several well-known A-list actors, namely Irons as Scar, Matthew Broderick as Simba, James Earl Jones as Mufasa and Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, "The Lion King "has since gone on to be acclaimed as "one of the most impressive arrays of voice talents ever utilized in an animated film." Critics have repeatedly singled out Irons's performance, praising it extensively: Cindy White of IGN called Irons's performance "deliciously smarmy," while Andy Patrizio of IGN wrote that Irons voices Scar "in perfect Shakespearean villain mode." "Rolling Stone"s Peter
Simba "lazy and troublesome." "The Austin Chronicle"s Robert Faires felt that Simba and the other "Lion King "characters, though "true", were simply unoriginal retreads of preceding animated characters who were "swiped from other Disney cartoons." Hal Hinson of "The Washington Post" gave the character a negative review. Labeling Timon and Pumbaa the only interesting characters in "The Lion King", Hinson questioned Simba's role as the film's hero. Kenneth Turan of the "Los Angeles Times "agreed, "A movie's heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it's the sidekicks who get the real work done." Turan went on