Mufasa: The Lion King divided critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, similar to the 2019 remake. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the prequel once again employs photorealism and tells the story of Mufasaeventual king of the Pride Lands, and Taka, who later becomes Scar. The film, released on December 20, brings back several voice actors, including Donald Glover and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, but adds Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Now this Mufasa: The Lion King premiered in cinemas, the scores in Rotten tomatoes reveal a disconnect. The Popcornmeter, currently at 89%, is a notable contrast to the review-based Tomatometer, which is at just 57%. This type of division also happened in 2019when the critical reception of The Lion King was negative, but the public gave the film 88% on the aggregator.
What the Contrasting Reviews Mean for Mufasa: The Lion King
Critics and audiences appreciate different things
Polarizing reactions for Mufasa: The Lion King suggest that critics and audiences have their own expectations. Critics have pointed out numerous drawbacks to the film, including the animation style, which was altered to give the animals more discernible expressions, but continues to look dull. While Lin-Manuel Miranda created new music for the prequel“I Just Can't Wait to Be King”, “Hakuna Matata” or songs like that are also missing. Additionally, some may see the film as a way to make money, after The Lion King the remake grossed more than $1 billion.
Mufasa: The Lion King is familiar and This broad appeal could partially explain the impressive audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The returning voice actors, especially Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, are another positive point. Timon and Pumbaa, who stood out in the 2019 film, continue to impact the mood, and the audience can also see a little more of Simba, Nala and Rafiki. Those nostalgic for the original animated film will also find things to enjoy here, because Mufasa: The Lion King features multiple callbacks.
Our opinion on these Mufasa: The Lion King reviews
Polarizing reactions were bound to happen again
Based on reception The Lion Kingfollowing its release in 2019, another divide between critics and audiences seemed inevitable. Until now, the remake of Disney's beloved 1994 animated film has a score of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, while Popcornmeter remains at 88%. Specific criticisms have pointed to the story's lackluster CGI and adaptation, and now, similar issues regarding Mufasa: The Lion King are being created. However, audiences enjoyed seeing the world and characters brought to life in a photorealistic way, so they were more likely to like the prequel, and that might be all that matters.
Source: Rotten tomatoes