Disney’s new tradition of remaking classic animated films into modern live-action spectacles continues with a prequel to The Lion King. It’s unlikely anyone is expecting Mufasa: The Lion King to rise to the epic heights set by the original animated film, but given that the live-action Lion King was met with a mixed reception, there was some hope that Mufasa would at least rise to that lower standard. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Mufasa: The Lion King pales in comparison to both versions of The Lion King.
Director Barry Jenkins and writer Jeff Nathanson were given the daunting task of creating a prequel to the live-action remake of The Lion King. On paper, Jenkins has an outstanding resume, although not in animation (CG or otherwise). Nathanson had some hits back in late 90s and early 00s (Rush Hour 2), but hasn’t generated the same excitement since cutting back on writing film scripts between 2009 and 2017.
In standard Hollywood fashion, Disney seems to have looked solely at the box office results of The Lion King, instead of taking into account the concerns fans had with the remake. The company brought Nathanson back to write Mufasa after he wrote The Lion King, and the results are considerably worse. When writing The Lion King remake, Nathanson had the benefit of mimicking the animated version, but this new film is mostly original fare.
Mufasa: The Lion King is bookended by segments featuring Simba (Donald Glover), Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Timon (Billy Eichner), Pumbaa (Seth Rogan), and Rafiki (John Kani), that take place after the events of the remake. This is great as connective tissue for the audience, but the film continues to go back to that group of characters a number of times throughout the film, almost always in awkward places that offer no additional insight into the story, or excitement for the audience. This isn’t a Princess Bride situation where cutting back to “present day” adds to the storytelling.
The film follows a young Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) as he grows up and learns what it means to become king. There are plenty of familiar faces, and a number of newcomers as well, but in typical prequel fashion the audience learns how many aspects of The Lion King came into being (such as the formation of Pride Rock). Unfortunately, these instances didn’t really need an explanation, and are completely uninspired in their origins. It doesn’t help that character motivations as a whole are questionable at best, but at least the kids won’t notice, right?
One such revelation (that we won’t spoil here) comes after a big action sequel. If the storied object in question had come about during the action sequel it would have been far more epic than a random mishap after the conclusion of the action. Odd choices like this are littered throughout the film, causing virtually no reaction from an audience filled with parents and their children.
Jenkins’ signature closeups are prominently featured throughout the film, and the VFX have improved from the remake. However, the sweeping camera motions in many scenes are overdone and unnecessary. In more than one instance the excessive camera movements felt like a 4D motion ride, making it easy for the audience to get visually disoriented.
Despite the lackluster screenplay and questionable camera work, the voice acting in Mufasa: The Lion King is top notch. Some talent is wasted, such as Keith David voicing Masego, Mufasa’s biological father, who only appears in a small portion of the film. However, as a whole it’s the best part of the film. The rest of the movie is lackluster at best, offering lethargic responses to questions that no one asked, with a script that feels closer to a direct-to-DVD release of the past rather than a modern day blockbuster.
About Mufasa: The Lion King
Synopsis: Mufasa, a cub lost and alone, meets a sympathetic lion named Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of a group of misfits searching for their destiny.
Director: Barry Jenkins
Writer: Jeff Nathanson
Stars: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone
Rated: PG
Runtime: 2 Hours
Bryan Dawson has been writing professionally since the age of 13. He started his career as a video game writer and has since worked for Random House, Prima Games, DirecTV, IGN, AOL, the British Government, and various other organizations. For GNN, Bryan taps into his passion for movies.
