Mufasa: The Lion King Review

As Disney continues to turn its most iconic animated films into live action, the question of its need only grows greater, though that hasn't deterred the Mouse House yet. 2019 The Lion King is one of the studio's weakest efforts; With only animals populating the cast, the Jon Favreau-directed film could barely pass for live action and relied too heavily on featureless CGI characters to convey the beloved story. Despite this, it also made a lot of money, leading to the creation of the prequel/sequel Mufasa: The Lion King.

I readily admit that I didn't believe this was a film that needed to be made and thought it would have all the same flaws as its predecessor. If there was one thing that gave me hope, it was the hiring of director Barry Jenkins, the filmmaker behind the historic Best Picture winner. Moonlight. Surely it could find some genuine life in a sea of ​​animated animals (let's be real, this doesn't qualify as live action). Now, after seeing the film, I'm relieved to say he did.

Mufasa: The Lion King addresses the origin story of a legend

Although the future is great

Mufasa: The Lion King It is not without flaws, but it manages to justify its existence by telling a convincing story. Framed as the story that the wise old Rafiki (John Kani) tells to the young princess Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) as she awaits the birth of her new brother, the film follows the origins of the eponymous lion, who we know better as the real figure voiced by the late, great James Earl Jones. Mufasa opens with a brief but effective tribute to the icon. As a result, its presence lasts throughout the project.

Before he was king, Mufasa was a cub (Braelyn Rankins) separated from his parents by a flood. Downriver, he is rescued from a crocodile attack by the young prince known as Taka (Theo Somolu), who accepts Mufasa as his brother despite his father's dislike of stray animals. Although he has a different name, there is no hiding who Taka will become or what he will do to his beloved brother.

Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson makes many references to Mufasa and Scar's fatal confrontation. Waves become less effective over timebut that first scene of Taka digging his claws into Mufasa's limbs, this time in an attempt to save him, is impressive.

As Mufasa (adult Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) grow up, the latter ready to one day be king while the former serves as his protector, their bond only grows. It becomes all they can trust when a band of outsiders, led by the cruel Kiros (an appropriately menacing Mads Mikkelsen), invade, forcing the brothers to flee in search of a new home. Mufasa: The Lion King expands its scope, serving as origin stories for Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga in the past), Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), and even Zazu (Preston Nyman).

Mufasa's Two Leads Live Up to High Expectations

Mufasa and Taka's relationship is the strongest part of the film

Sometimes I get the feeling Mufasa I didn't want to stray too far from Lion King story and characters as we know them. This is particularly exemplified by the enormous roles of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), who care for Kiara. Although they add comic relief to a surprisingly heavy story, your meta-jokes and constant comments interrupt the flow of Rafiki's heartfelt narrative in the present day. Mufasa is at its strongest when it focuses on the doomed relationship between Pierre and Harrison's adopted brothers.

Stepping into Jones' legendary shoes is no easy task, but Pierre voices Mufasa with a youthful gravitas that perfectly suits with the lion he will one day become. I could hear nuances of Jones in his performance, which only serves to deepen the portrayal of the character. Taka starts out as the most intriguing personality, especially because we have to wonder what will one day make him turn against the brother he so desired.

The answer is quite discouraging and leads to a frustratingly quick descent for Taka, but Harrison expresses his turn to villainy beautifullysimilarly echoing his predecessors in the role while also putting his own spin on it.

Mufasa's visuals are stronger than his predecessor

And its soundtrack comes close to matching its perfection

If Mufasa: The Lion KingThe story's structure and characterizations occasionally falter, the gorgeous visuals and resonant soundtrack making up for this. One of my biggest problems with 2019 Lion King it was rooted in the fact that digitally rendered characters couldn't emote in the same way as animated characters, leaving certain moments feeling strangely lifeless. Here, Jenkins and his team improved the animationgiving each character a genuine personality and flare.

The original soundtrack Lion King remains one of Disney's best, and I'm not going to say Mufasa surpasses it, but provides plenty of catchy tunes in its own right, thanks to Charm and Moana mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda. Assisted by franchise veteran Lebo M., Miranda brings her addictive melodies and agile lyricism to the film and creates a soundtrack that compares to the original.

I still wonder how much better Mufasa: The Lion King it would be if it were a traditionally animated film, but there are a lot of elements that Jenkins gets right and I'm grateful I gave it a chance. There's real heart to Mufasa's story, especially when it comes to how his legacy resonates in the present day. At times the film is eager to do too much – I haven't even mentioned the brief appearances of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) – but when it focuses on its central character, it becomes something special in its own right.

Mufasa: The Lion King opens in theaters this Friday, December 20th. It is 120 minutes long and rated PG for action/violence, danger and some thematic elements.