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Mufasa: The Lion King Review
Image Credit: Disney Enterprises
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Directed By: Barry Jenkins
Written By: Jeff Nathanson; Based on the characters created by Linda Woolverton, Irene Mecchi, and Jonathan Roberts
Runtime: 118 minutes
MPA Rating: Rated PG for action/violence, peril, and some thematic elements.
Aaron Pierre – Mufasa
Kelvin Harrison Jr. – Taka
Tiffany Boone – Sarabi
Mads Mikkelsen – Kiros
Kagiso Lediga – Young Rafiki
Preston Nyman – Zazu
Thandiwe Newton – Eshe
Lennie James – Obasi
Anika Noni Rose – Afia
Keith David – Masego
Blue Ivy Carter – Kiara
John Kani – Rafiki
Seth Rogen – Pumba
Billy Eichner – Timon
Donald Glover – Simba
Beyoncé – Nala
Braelyn Rankins – Young Mufasa
Theo Somolu – Young Taka
Walt Disney Studios expands its iconic franchise, The Lion King, with a new prequel depicting the origin story of young Mufasa in his journey to becoming the king of Pride Rock. Unfortunately, while some of filmmaker Barry Jenkins’ talent and technical wizardry sometimes come across onscreen, Mufasa: The Lion King amounts to little more than a soulless, flaccid, and utterly frustrating endeavor.
Mufasa laboriously extends its padded-out narrative with two plotlines. In the present, the trio of Rafiki (Kani), Timon (Eichner), and Pumba (Rogen) babysit young lion cub Kiara (Carter) while Simba (Glover), king of Pride Rock, attends to his wife, Queen Nala (Beyoncé), as they head to the birthing grounds to welcome their second cub. Rafiki shares the tale of Kiara’s grandfather, Mufasa, to comfort her and quell her fears during a raging storm, which brings forth the film’s main flashback plot.
For his origin story, Jeff Nathan’s script retcons Mufasa (Rankins) as a common-born lion cub, son to his kindly parents Afia (Noni Rose) and Masego (David). Stranded in the wastelands of Africa, they seek what meager water and resources they can, but Afia lifts her son’s spirits with the tales of the verdant paradise called Milele, where animals could live freely in peace and harmony. Mufasa becomes separated from his loving parents during a tragic flood and gets lost in a new land. Another young lion cub, Taka (Somolu), saves the lost, wayward Mufasa from getting eaten by crocodiles. Taka, the young lion destined to become the evil Scar, starts as a noble-born lion prince and son of the proud and arrogant lion king, Obasi (James). Mufasa is reluctantly adopted into Obasi’s tribe, thanks to the help of Taka and his wise mother, Eshe (Newton). Obasi greatly resents Mufasa, but Eshe recognizes Mufasa’s greatness and potential and nurtures his talents and bravery that are well-suited for a true leader and king. Unfortunately, Taka cowers and runs away from conflict while Mufasa showcases his bravery and grace under pressure.
As young adults, Mufasa (Pierre) and Taka (Harrison Jr.) maintain a strong relationship as adopted brothers. However, a pack of vicious lions, The Outsiders, led by the cruel and wicked self-proclaimed king, Kiros (Mikkelsen), threatens Obasi and Taka’s pride. Mufasa and Taka flee their home to preserve the royal bloodline, but The Outsiders constantly pursue them. Mufasa and Taka expand their group after befriending another misplaced lion princess, Sarabi (Boone), and her royal hornbill guard, Zazu (Nyman). Later, the eccentric baboon Rafiki (voiced in his younger days by Kagiso Lediga) joins the group after being exiled by his pack. Rafiki offers some convenient mystical foresight that could lead them to the mythical Milele, where the ragtag pack of animals would conceivably find safety and freedom from Kiros and The Outsiders’ tyranny. Despite lacking any nobility, Mufasa must eventually find his true greatness in his journey to become the legendary king of Pride Rock.
Director Barry Jenkins and writer Jeff Nathanson put forth a confusing backstory in Mufasa. The Lion King franchise never hinted or implied that Mufasa was not of noble birth. The narrative implication always suggested that Simba and Mufasa came from a long line of lion nobility. Mufasa spoke of tales of the Great Kings of the Past looking down on himself, Simba, and their pride. In Mufasa: The Lion King, no such kingly line exists for Mufasa and his family. It’s a retcon the series did not need.
Jenkins wants to provide commentary about how true nobility is not something passed down through blood. The story positions Mufasa as a legendary chosen king, not from blood or birth, but through his actions and deeds. Although that is a powerful message, it does not work for a Mufasa-centric story. The story would make more sense if Rafiki was weaving a tale about the legend of the beginning of Kiara’s family line, likely centuries earlier, rather than simply two generations prior.
The notion of adopted brothers Mufasa and Taka, the lion destined to become the villainous Scar, fails to gain traction. The adopted brotherly relationship plays out as a forced plot development. While the plot’s intention seeks to expand and flesh out Scar’s backstory, showing that he was once a kind and loving brother to Mufasa, the character arc adds little depth or dimension. The event that triggers Taka’s betrayal and road to becoming Scar makes the character look more foolish and pettier rather than a deliciously entertaining Disney villain.
Taka’s backstory renders the character in a convoluted and unlikable light while still allowing him redemptive moments that make no sense in the grand scheme of The Lion King saga. The previous animated versions of The Lion King tell a much more streamlined, sensical version of Scar’s backstory leading to the betrayal of his blood brother. Scar and Mufasa work better as littermates. Like the great Jeremy Irons said, “Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion’s share. But, when it comes to brute strength, I’m afraid I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.” Scar and Mufasa are not adopted siblings in the original classic version of the story.
The film’s flashback framing device allows multiple check-ins back to the present timeline, forcing additional scenes stuffed with banal material featuring Timon and Pumba goofing off and bickering like unfunny versions of Statler and Waldorf. The framing scenes uselessly pad the narrative, increasing Timon and Pumba’s screen time to keep the younger moviegoers engaged. Unfortunately, the so-called live-action versions of Timon and Pumba lack any charm or chemistry, and their screen presence only offers annoyance. The framing scenes needlessly pad out the runtime to ensure the theatrical experience runs closer to two hours, rather than ninety minutes.
Although Mufasa: The Lion King boasts an impressive cast of talented actors and thespians, none of the characters come alive. The disturbing-looking animal characters created using CG animation, do not help matters very much. The animation techniques seeking to make The Lion King characters look photorealistic do not mix well with the human voices. The lions cannot emote or show facial expressions resembling humans, so they look awkward. Most of the vocal performances sound flat, as do the CG-animated visuals. Kagiso Lediga’s version of a younger Rafiki is the only character who brings an inner life and musical rhythm to his performance.
Additionally, although Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters more than five years after its predecessor, the CG animation looks like it’s hit a decline. That problem is not necessarily a criticism of the hard-working, laborious artisans and animators. However, the animation quality for the CG animals took a confusing hit in the last several years. Jenkins puts forth effort in the story’s overall direction and presentation. Considering the way he constructs various sequences and moments, it looks like a better movie is struggling to get to the surface. Mufasa and Taka’s perilous journey of treacherous terrain provides visually impressive moments of depth and immersion; yet, the lifeless CG animation and lifeless vocal performances never sync up with Jenkins’ more inspired direction.
Lin-Manuel Miranda creates new songs for the feature with a score by Dave Metzer and Nicholas Britell. Miranda’s songs are adequate, but overall, uninspired and lack a certain majesty that the The Lion King franchise should project. The songs check all the boxes. There’s a whimsical, funny song. There’s a song for the villainous Kiros and another about Taka and Mufasa’s brotherhood. The film’s single good musical number comes with Kiros singing, “Bye Bye.” Although it’s not the best or most inspired song, it’s a near-winner by Miranda. None of his other songs for the film are particularly hummable or memorable, which is downright sad for an installment of The Lion King.
Mufasa: The Lion King fails to prove itself as a worthy entry. Its flawed storyline and expansion of the franchise’s mythos only make it problematic. The narrative retcons contradict and take away from its predecessors, as the prequel constantly fumbles in its journey for kingship and nobility. To paraphrase a better song from a much better movie, Mufasa fails to find its place “on the path unwinding in the great circle of life.”
