de facto film reviews 3 stars

Barry Jenkins’ latest film, Mufasa, serves as both a prequel and sequel to Disney’s 2019 film, The Lion King. Both films are Lion King franchise renderings in photorealistic animation and offer increased detail and depth in computer-generated graphics. They are perhaps less ubiquitous than 1994’s traditionally animated film that they are based on, but this new version has something interesting to offer as well. However, it mostly lacks in comparison to the aforementioned first film, which admittedly, is a very hard act to follow, especially considering the stylistic differences of this latest one.

Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

The screenplay was written by Jeff Nathanson, who previously found success in the Indiana Jones franchise, and his story here keeps the viewer entertained. Utilizing this backbone, Barry Jenkins has cultivated a movie which is thoroughly engaging. It offers an origin story for Mufasa’s brother, Scar, one which actively retcons the character’s previous backstory from the animated series The Lion Guard, whose couple episodes from 2019 offered a much more vague take on how Scar came to be. Even though the film is nominally meant to show Mufasa’s beginnings, it serves as a historical nod to both lions.

In this new story of brotherhood and betrayal, Mufasa, voiced by Aaron Pierre, is separated from his original family and is taken in by another lion his age, Taka, who is voiced by Kelvin Harrison, Jr. The two lions struggle through an adventure to save their shared pride, after a cabal of white lions seeks to destroy Taka’s family’s historic hunting grounds. Along the way, they confront moments of jealousy, misplaced loyalty and other battles that brothers sometimes face. They also come together in uplifting unity to save each other.

Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

Owing to the photorealistic depiction, this origin tale is told with action-packed fight sequences on stunning African vistas. The lions make their way through what could easily be the real world as they travel in search of belonging, a theme that the film really tries to hammer home. One way in which the latest film in The Lion King franchise succeeds is through this increased prevalence of detailed action scenes. This comes at the cost of the lion’s facial expressions though, which can sometimes be hard to make out. The lions appear totally real and so they react as lions do. In the 1994 original, the animated versions of the characters appear cuter due to the fact that you can always clearly see what they are supposed to be feeling through their facial expressions.

Just because Mufasa isn’t traditionally animated doesn’t make it a bad film, however. The landscapes in the piece are beautiful and the viewer will feel like they are really there. There are even funny throwbacks to the previous films and fans of the original will see many familiar faces including Timon and Pumbaa, who are voiced by the ever-funny Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, respectively. Jenkins’ film is engaging but perhaps lacks some of the effective charm of its animated predecessor. A common criticism of these new Lion King films is that the animation style tells the story in an impersonal way compared to the 1994 classic. While this proves to be true in this latest film, it should be said that Mufasa still provides a good viewing experience, and kids are sure to enjoy this depiction, especially if they do not have the 1994 version to compare it to. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music provides an excellent soundscape for the film’s vivid depiction of African savanna. There are many heartwarming moments in the movie which will definitely delight viewers of all ages. Even Beyoncé makes an appearance as Simba’s partner, Nala.

Courtesy Walt Disney Studios

Mufasa: The Lion King captivates in its own right. The musical numbers are well-written and integrated nicely in the film’s chronological structure, and this allows them to provide additional emotional context to some of its biggest moments. Fans of the original Lion King will be pleased to see that the musical aspect of these films has remained a strong staple of the series. The storytelling keeps the viewer actively involved in the plight and accomplishments of these young lions too. Since many probably recall the background of the 1994 original, it will be easy to follow for most viewers, and this latest film offers a new perspective which Jenkins executes well. The movie’s plot is well-developed to the point that its eventual twist is well-earned even if it was mostly predictable from the beginning. This setup offers a nuanced view into the past of Mufasa, Simba’s father, and those who are fans of the franchise will find much to like about the film, even if it still pales in comparison to the 1994 original.

Mufasa: The Lion King is now playing in theaters.