Mufasa: The Lion King continues the circle of life as the prequel and sequel to 2019’s The Lion King. It follows the adventures of Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi, and Rafiki as they search for a new home and family. Hardcore fans may be turned off by the changes to the story they know and love, but those with an open mind may get a kick out of seeing a new adventure with classic characters. Mufasa: The Lion King is an improvement over the 2019 film with an engaging story that isn’t a remake and a more emotive facial animation of the animals.
The film is set after the events of 2019’s The Lion King where Simba and Nala are now the king and queen, respectively, of Pride Rock. They now have a daughter, Kiara, who learns of the tale of how Mufasa became king by Rafiki, the wise mandrill. The story then focuses on Mufasa’s story for most of the running time with some scenes of Kiara, Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa sprinkled in to remind audiences of how the characters are all related. (And to sell merchandise.)
Mufasa described the ancestors of Simba in the 2019 and 1994 films, leading one to think that Simba came from a long line of royalty. However, Mufasa: The Lion King turns that upside down, with director Barry Jenkins embracing a new origin story for Mufasa where he was adopted by Taka’s royal family. This story resonates with the director because he’s also part of a chosen family. As a result, we get to see Mufasa having to rise to the occasion as a newcomer instead of fulfilling his duty if he were to be a prince from the beginning.
When the 2019 The Lion King came out, one of my gripes was the facial animation. The lions didn’t have a lot of expression, and it just felt like watching a nature documentary with moving mouths. In Mufasa: The Lion King, the lions are more expressive, and it’s easier to recognize their emotions, whether they are afraid, sad, happy, or angry.
The voice cast brings life to the younger versions of iconic characters including Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka (later known as Scar), and Tiffany Boone as Sarabi. Mads Mikkelsen voices Kiros, the leader of the white lions, aka “The Outsiders,” and he oozes power and fun as a villain.
Lin-Manuel Miranda serves as the songwriter for the film, adding his style to a franchise known for its music by Elton John. The musician has created incredible and memorable music in Hamilton and Moana, and although the songs in Mufasa: The Lion Kong are good, most of the songs won’t have a lasting impact where it’ll get stuck in my head (except for “Bye Bye”). Mads Mikkelsen definitely had fun singing “Bye Bye,” a fun and catchy song with a dark undertone.
I saw the film at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and it was in 3D with Dolby Vision and Atmos. The 3D wasn’t as prominent as say something like Avatar, but there were a few highlights including a waterfall sequence. Dolby Vision showcased the colorful world of The Lion King with the lively savanna environments, deep blacks with the night sky, vivid colors of the different animals and biomes, and more. Dolby Atmos is where the film shined as the roars of the lions and the thunderous sounds of a stampede felt impactful, to name a few. For Dolby Cinema locations, visit https://dolbylabs.co/Mufasa.
Final Reaction
Mufasa: The Lion King is better than 2019’s The Lion King with expressive facial animation and an engaging origin story that isn’t a remake. The film is beautiful to look at and the music is enjoyable albeit it won’t be stuck in my head in the future. In conclusion, it’s a fun watch but isn’t something that I love.
Score: 3.5/5 Atoms
