By Seb Jenkins - December 17, 2024
Disney finally prove that a photorealistic Lion King film is worth making as Mufasa sprinkles magic over the beloved series.
Five years after we rather pointlessly revisited the Pride Lands in a photorealistic remake of The Lion King, we are back in Tanzania – but this time the savanna runs rich with personality. Mufasa: The Lion King features roaring character development and an origin story worthy of one of the most beloved worlds in cinema history. Shocking, gut-wrenching, and emotional – but with the sweetest centre. Mufasa is far from a jolly song and dance, it's a raw coming-of-age story played to a catchy beat – courtesy of the legendary Lin-Manuel Miranda. Simply, fans of the original have to see this. It’s the circle of life!
Mufasa: The Lion King opens in the only way possible, a heartfelt tribute to James Earl Jones, the original and iconic voice of the titular character from the 1994 original. As fantastic of a job as Aaron Pierre does as the king before he was king, Mufasa will always be synonymous with the rich tones of Earl Jones. But what a delightful tribute this 2024 instalment into the franchise is. Like Zazu off on a scouting mission, Mufasa soars above its predecessor The Lion King (2019) in every way possible. While the remake felt like it added nothing to proceedings beyond a photorealistic hairball or two, Barry Jenkins and Jeff Nathanson manage to add a whole new layer to the Pride Lands this time around. Although the jingle-jangling of Disney shackles still seems to prevent the duo from elevating the story to its peak potential on Pride Rock, Mufasa will leave you with a healthy helping of childlike glee – like it’s 1994 all over again!
We pick up the story long after the passing of our main character. While Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyonce) set off on what can only be described as a sexy pilgrimage, daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) is left behind in the less-than-safe hands of Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and Timon (Billy Eichner). Fortunately, elder states monkey Rafiki (John Kani) steps in to pass the time with the most gripping of stories – how Mufasa the lost lion cub became the famous Lion King. It really is a great time to be a CGI monkey – with Rafiki joining the ranks of Robbie Williams and the flying monkeys from Wicked.
When young Mufasa is torn away from his parents by a fierce and sudden flood, he is forced to put down new roots with adoptive guardian Eshe (Thandiwe Newton) and new brother Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr). Dismissed as an outsider worthy of a quick death by the pack leader, Mufasa spends his time learning the hunting expertise of the female lions rather than the sleeping skills of the men. But when the pack is threatened by a larger, stronger group of snow-white lions, Mufasa and Taka must set out on their own on the ultimate adventure – survival. Unfortunately, the introduction of young lioness Sarabia (Tiffany Boone) may set the brothers down a complicated path.
Mufasa: The Lion King is at its best when it completely ignores the 2019 iteration. While Pumbaa and Timon are clearly added into the mix as an easily recognisable hook for the
audience, they actually represent the worst scenes in the film. The constant flicking between Mufasa’s origin story and Kiara in modern-day just feels unnecessarily convoluted. The film would have been all the better for that extra time being spent on fleshing out young Mufasa and Taka as characters even more. It would also be wrong to pretend that the musical score reaches anything close to the 1994 original – but that was always an unrealistic expectation to set. Lin-Manuel Miranda treats us to a few memorable toe-tappers in ‘I Always Wanted A Brother’, ‘Bye Bye’ and ‘We Go Together’. They may not go down in cultural history like ‘Circle of Life’, ‘Hakuna Matata’ and ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ but they inject much-needed musical heart and soul that the film deserves.
What we are left with is a beautiful coming-of-age tale that does justice to the source material while enriching the already-iconic character of Mufasa. The prequel is a story about love, family, jealousy, and revenge – but more than anything, the circle of life. If you are a fan of the original or want to introduce the new generation to the Pride Lands, Mufasa: The Lion King is a masterful example of immersive escapism at its finest. You can’t help but leave the cinema with a smile on your face, and that is what Disney should be about.
Mufasa: The Lion King releases in cinemas December 20
Comments