Mufasa: The Lion King
review by Bobby Blakey
In 2019 director Jon Favreau brought Disney’s iconic animated classic The Lion King to life in the new feature film of the same name. The film was a massive success, but looked to just be a one-off film, but now Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk director Barry Jenkins is taking the helm for the follow up sequel/prequel Mufasa: The Lion King.
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The film features new and old cast including Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, Blue Ivy Carter and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.
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Mufasa: The Lion King follows Rafiki as he relays the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
I was a big fan of what Favreau did with the original film so to get to head back into this world was something I was interested in. Sure, this is one of those stories that isn’t necessary but manages to do a great job expanding the legacy of the famed character. Right out the gate the film is dedicated to James Earl Jones, which shows the iconic nature of what he created with the original animated film. It gave me a warm feeling heading into this film and it held its own to create a great film worthy of the franchise.
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The story is simple enough and plays off a few lines from the original film to deliver both a sequel and continuation of the previous film. Telling the story is Rafiki so the film randomly interjects the other characters in a way that is entertaining and connects it to the other film all while letting us tag along for an all-new journey. The story of Mufasa and Taka is well crafted and much like all the source material continues the Shakespearean nature of betrayal, love, family, and depth to characters that shouldn’t be able to do this.
I was surprised that they managed to also merge in the back story of Rafiki in a way that doesn’t bog it down but explains the deeper connection that he and Mufasa have when we originally met them. The voice cast all do a great job and offer up all the emotions and layers needed to bring them to life. This blended with the insanely awesome CGI to create this world, and characters are a site to behold and further a lesson to other filmmakers on how to truly bring these sorts of animals to life. The Outsiders were a great addition as villains with Mads Mikkelsen’s Kiros chewing up every scene and being all kinds of awesome. While we know where this is all headed, they still give a sense of danger and concern for our heroes and perfectly executed.
My only real problem with the film is the music which I had the same issue in the first film. The music and songs aren’t bad, but just don’t fit well into this live-action style environment for me. There are numerous moments where the film is having a powerful moment and then the song kicks in and it is just ruined. Had it been traditional animation it would have likely worked fine, but here I think both movies should have ditched the musical numbers for better success.
Outside of the musical moments I really enjoyed this film and the journey it took me on. It is filled with everything that made me love the original and 2019 version of the film. It wasn’t needed but for me a welcome addition to the story and a visual accomplishment that should be seen on the big screen.
In addition to the film this release offers bonus content including outtakes, deleted scenes, featurettes, feature length sing-along, music video and more. Return to see the rise of the king when Mufasa: The Lion King available now on digital and then on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on April 1st from Disney Home Entertainment.
