When Frozen became a smash hit the immediate comparison point was The Lion King, the height of Disney's nineties renaissance. Both films created their own phenomenon, tearing up the box office and unleashing a barrage of merchandise. And, curiously enough, both feature an incredible soundtrack with a focal song that completely discolours the message of the movie; just like Let It Go works against Frozen's moral, Hakuna Matata is the exact opposite of the lesson Simba learns. When he runs away, believing he's responsible for his father's death, having an upbeat number that tells him to put his behind in his past is just what the lion prince needs. But that isn't a healthy way to deal with loss, hence why only a few minutes after the song is over the film starts to deal with the implications of this, culminating in Rafiki stating "run from it, or learn from it." But because that's not done in a catchy comedy number all people remember is "no worries". Hakuna Matata has become a massive ethos so overwhelming it looms large over the film. The original Swahili phrase itself is little more than a pleasantry, but having seen a meerkat and warthog live by its teachings it creates the illusion of big ideal.
