2019’s live-action that is not really a live-action model of The Lion King grossed a staggering $1.6 billion worldwide. With such success, it was inevitable that Disney would revisit the franchise. Thus, Mufasa: The Lion King was born.
A hybrid of prequel and sequel, the movie explores the origin story of Mufasa, Simba’s father, and the way he rose to change into king of Satisfaction Rock. By extension, it additionally delves into Scar’s backstory, shedding gentle on how he turned a bitter recluse decided to reclaim the throne he believes is rightfully his.
Visually, Mufasa makes some enhancements over its predecessor. The 2019 remake’s dedication to photo-realism usually restricted the characters’ emotional expressiveness, as actual animals cannot emote like people. Right here, the animators strike a greater steadiness, loosening the constraints of realism to provide characters extra vary. The end result dips barely into the uncanny valley at occasions however finally permits for extra participating performances.
Not every little thing visible is a deal with in Mufasa, nonetheless. Director Barry Jenkins took liberties with digicam motion within the movie, creating photographs that will not be remotely possible in actuality, and it looks like practically each second is accompanied by a sweeping, epic movement. With these efforts, the filmmakers doubtless meant to immediate emotions of awe. Nonetheless, for me, it usually prompted emotions of nausea, at occasions taking away from the emotional beats of the movie.
(L-R): Taka (voiced by Theo Somolu) and Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins) in Disney’s live-action MUFASA: THE LION KING. Photograph courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights Reserved.
A lot of these emotional moments that work within the movie are tethered to the unique. The stakes which are launched in Mufasa do not have the identical weight as those that existed within the 1994 traditional. It leans laborious on the viewer’s ties to both the unique animated model, or its late 2010s remake.
The pacing of the movie is a bit all over. The primary third looks like a cinematic speedrun, with a lot of the dialogue coming in sizzling and heavy with out pure pauses. Within the second act, issues decelerate to a crawl earlier than hurtling into the finale at breakneck velocity. The result’s an uneven expertise.
And earlier than you say, “It’s a Disney movie about lions, it doesn’t have to be Shakespeare,” the 1994 authentic was actually Shakespeare, famously following the final define of Hamlet. These nice expectations, maybe, set the stage for disappointment when the battle and determination in Mufasa is nowhere close to the standard of its predecessor, which was based mostly on a few of the most timeless literature out there.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer/lyricist behind Mufasa, has delivered iconic songs in different movies like Moana and Encanto. Right here, nonetheless, his contributions really feel underwhelming. Following within the footsteps of Elton John’s Oscar-winning music from the unique Lion King was at all times going to be a frightening job, however Mufasa’s soundtrack fails to depart an enduring impression. The songs are serviceable however lack the memorable hooks or emotional depth that made the unique’s music unforgettable.
In the long run, Mufasa: The Lion King is visually interesting, family-friendly, and positive to seize the eye of youthful audiences. Nonetheless, these on the lookout for emotional depth, or music that rises above the floor could discover themselves unhappy, and easily craving the grasp class in animated storytelling that was the 1994 Disney traditional.
