‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Movie Review: Barry Jenkins’ Origin Story for Simba’s Dead Dad Doesn’t Get To Roar Enough! (LatestLY Exclusive)

Mufasa The Lion King Movie Review: The thing about prequels is that, apart from often feeling like blatant cash-grabs, they come with a fundamental problem: if they follow characters we already know from the original, there’s no real tension. No matter how high the stakes, you know nothing bad will happen to them. This removes much of the suspense, leaving the prequel to rely solely on its storytelling to keep us invested. Unfortunately, Barry Jenkins’ Mufasa: The Lion King struggles to justify its existence. Unless your idea of entertainment is marvelling at improved photorealism, this film may come off as underwhelming, offering little that’s new or memorable. But hey, there’s still money to be made from kids fawning over cute lion cubs, right? ‘Mufasa - The Lion King’ Review: Critics Give Mixed Reactions to Disney’s Live-Action Prequel Featuring Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr and Blue Ivy Carter.

The story follows the rise of Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre, of Rebel Ridge fame) from a lost cub to a reluctant leader, championing the downtrodden before ultimately accepting his role as king. It’s an arc meant to showcase empathy and selflessness, but the narrative stumbles when Mufasa conveniently sheds his democratic ideals for monarchy by the end. So much for the 'egalitarian' king, who turns 'Circle of Life' into a political rally!

As a cub, Mufasa is separated from his parents during a flash flood and ends up far from home. He’s rescued by Taka, another lion cub from a different tribe. While Taka’s mother Eshe (Thandiwe Newton) accepts him, his father Obaisi (Lennie James) reluctantly allows him into their pride, though not without repeatedly reminding him of his “stray” status. Mufasa and Taka grow up as close friends, with Taka poised to inherit his father’s mantle. But when their pride is attacked by a group of vicious white lions led by the menacing Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), Obaisi sends the two cubs away for safety. They embark on a journey to Milele, a mythical land that Mufasa dreams of reaching. Along the way, they’re joined by some familiar companions who eventually help shape their destinies - for better or worse.

Watch the Trailer of 'Mufasa: The Lion King':

Oh yea, this entire tale is narrated by Rafiki (John Kani, with Kagiso Lediga voicing the younger version) to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Simba (Donald Glover), and Nala’s (Beyoncé) daughter. Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) interrupt frequently, presumably because we all thought their antics were funny in the original. Here, though, they mostly pad out the runtime and dilute the narrative.

'Mufasa The Lion King' Movie Review - Visuals and The Voice-Cast... Thumbs Up!

Does Mufasa: The Lion King improve on the 2019 live-action The Lion King? Visually, to some extent. While still not as animated as... well... their animated counterparts, you can now recognise the lions' emotions whenever they look happy or angry, instead of us guessing what they should be feeling by recalling what they were doing in the animated movie.

The CGI is notably impressive in some portions, particularly the snow-capped landscapes shown before the third act. However, in scenes that offer a panoramic view of the savannah, I couldn't feel the awe there, instead visuals in some places felt washed out.

The voice-cast is an asset for the movie. Aaron Pierre delivers a solid performance as Mufasa, stepping into late James Earl Jones’ iconic shoes with grace. Kelvin Harrison Jr is compelling as the younger Taka, portraying his eventual transformation into Scar with subtlety and nuance. Mads Mikkelsen, predictably, brings a chilling presence as Kiros, while Kagiso Lediga’s Rafiki stands out with prophetic charm. The Lion King Movie Review: Jon Favreau’s Remake of the Classic Disney Tale Trades Impactful StoryTelling for Stunning Imagery.

'Mufasa The Lion King' Movie Review - Underwhelms as Origin Story

But visuals and voice work can only do so much when the story lacks narrational strength. The screenplay by Jeff Nathanson follows a tired template: a journey of self-discovery that fails to deliver the emotional highs we expect. The film tries hard to sell Mufasa’s rise from a nobody to a king, but let’s be honest—he’s still a lion. Isn’t he already born into nobility? The attempt to frame him as an “everyman” feels contrived, like some nepo kids claiming they are outsiders. Also, Mufasa’s special ability to sense animals from miles away feels more like a convenient plot device than meaningful character development.

The friendship between Mufasa and Taka has potential but is undermined by predictability. Knowing their eventual fates makes it difficult to invest in their camaraderie. The addition of a love triangle involving Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) feels uninspired and reduces Taka’s moral downfall to a clichéd “jealousy over a girl” trope. Come on, which Bollywood movie did you watch to come up with this storyline?

While I would still forgive this track to make sense of Taka's moral downfall - the climax of Mufasa does some stuff with his character I am not a fan of, playing with the new trend of trying to humanise classic villains. Peeps, it is okay for a bad guy to be a bad guy, just don't humanise them so much that they become unrecognisable from what you have built them before.

The finale borrows heavily from Avengers: Endgame with its grand “assemble the troops” moment. But I couldn't help but ask this - why would a bunch of animals rally behind Mufasa, a stranger who has brought trouble to their paradise and who’s eventually likely to eat them later?

What's more, from someone who helmed a masterpiece like Moonlight, Barry Jenkins' voice as a director feels lost in this photorealistic world. There are occasional discussions of xenophobia and feminism, but that does not bring much brevity to the story.

Even the music—an essential part of the original Lion King—fails to leave an impact. A couple of tracks, like “I Always Wanted a Brother,” are catchy but lack the emotional resonance of the 1994 film’s iconic songs. Hans Zimmer’s original score makes occasional appearances, but relying on nostalgia can only take you so far.

'Mufasa The Lion King' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Mufasa: The Lion King may dazzle visually and boast strong voice performances, but it stumbles when it comes to exploring uncharted emotional terrain or engaging with the legacy of a beloved character. Instead, what we get is a kitschy, predictable narrative that relies too heavily on technical brilliance and nostalgia while making this return to the African savannah otherwise forgettable.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2024 07:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).