Mufasa: The Lion King (2024): A Film Review

**Spoilers Ahead. Read with Caution if You’ve Not Seen the Film Before**

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Remaking a film is tricky business. On one hand, if the remake stays true to the source material, fans will wonder why it was necessary. On the other hand, adding never-seen-before elements, such as introducing a new world or tweaking an existing character’s backstory, fans will bemoan its lack of faithfulness to the original version.

Prequels are also a double-edged sword. For some viewers, they’re tools of enrichment, providing insights on how a character came to be, while for others, prequels are unwarranted. Yes, they’re fertile ground for multiple possibilities, but none of these matters if they ultimately lead to one canon outcome.

Enter Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King.

It’s not a remake of the 1994 film — that dubious honor goes to Jon Favreau’s 2019 offering. Nevertheless, this prequel still lands in the same tricky territory as the first one, much to the consternation of this Disney Animation fan.

Mufasa: The Lion King, An Orphan’s “Tail”

Directed by Barry Jenkins and written by Jeff Nathanson, Mufasa: The Lion King tells the story of Simba’s eponymous father, from his humble beginnings to his rise as king of the Pride Lands. What’s more, it delves into his relationship with his much-reviled brother, Scar.

Unlike the ‘94 film, Mufasa (adult Mufasa voiced by Aaron Pierre) is not of royal blood. Rather, he is a commoner, one who is separated as a cub from his parents while traveling to the fabled land of Milele.

After running into trouble, he is saved by a fellow cub named Taka (adult Taka voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who hails from a royal bloodline. Mufasa joins his newfound “brother’s” pride, though his status as a “stray” prompts King Obasi (voiced by Lennie James) to view him with contempt. As such, the orphan is raised by the lionesses to become an adept hunter.

However, Mufasa’s life takes a turn when the Outsiders — a pride of white lions led by the bloodthirsty Kiros — arrive on the scene after Mufasa kills one of their own during a hunt. With the Outsiders on their tail, Mufasa and Taka are forced to flee their home.

Joined by displaced lioness Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), her aide Zazu (Preston Nyman), and an exiled mandrill named Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga in his younger years and by John Kani as an elder), the brothers make their way to Milele.

Drama, danger, and romance abound during this perilous journey — a journey that addresses how Mufasa earned his mane as king and how the timid Taka was scarred into becoming the treacherous villain we see in both versions of The Lion King.

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

Mufasa: The Lion King is framed as a story that present-day Rafiki tells Simba’s young daughter, Kiara (voiced by Blue Ivy Carter).

Unfortunately, the constant cuts between the story and the present — coupled with Timon and Pumbaa’s flat, meta jokes — undermine the pace, tone, and energy of the main narrative. 

The characterization also takes a hit, with many of the characters struggling to capitalize on their screentime to make any strong impressions. Arguably, Pierre’s Mufasa takes the brunt. Such is the film’s frenzied rhythm that the audience is unable to form a meaningful connection with Mufasa as tragic ordeals arise one after the other.

Holding him to the standards of his ‘94 counterpart’s wisdom, brawn, and bass tones, I struggled to fully warm up to this iteration of Mufasa, though it is kind of adorable watching his bright-eyed idealism and playfulness shine through. Yet compared to the late, great James Earl Jones’ portrayal, it really feels like pitting a lamb against an alpha lion.

A Mixed Bag

The photorealistic animation style is a vast improvement. The set pieces are breathtaking, and the wildlife are capable of conveying humanlike facial expressions, which were absent from the 2019 remake.

However, Jenkins’ penchant for continuous panning shots coupled with zoom-ins takes away from the story. It’s as if the production team deliberately wants you to linger upon the strides made in their creative efforts rather than focus on Nathanson’s hastened plot. Similar to Pixar’s Elio, I was forced to pick between style and substance, and neither was fully satisfactory.

Fans hoping for a musical masterpiece may feel let down by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs. It pains me to say this, but they were underwhelming and forgettable. “Tell Me It’s You,” the duet between Mufasa and Sarabi, hardly hits the same heights as “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” though I did enjoy it somewhat for its Hamilton-esque vibes.

As for Metzger, it feels unfair to compare his compositions to Hans Zimmer and Lebo M.’s iconic arrangements from the original. Admittedly, though, when I listen to both scores, I believe the latter evokes more emotion, passion, and nostalgia. Metzger’s “A Story of a Great King” nearly reaches that level, only because it calls back to the duo’s score.

Finally, there’s the relationship between Mufasa and Taka, and how its fractious nature leads to the tragic events of both the original and the remake.

Because fans are so well-versed with Scar’s character, it’s difficult to take Taka seriously as a loving, caring brother before his descent into darkness. It’s almost a relief when he embraces his vengeance, proving far more entertaining than how he initially carried himself. I applaud Harrison Jr.’s smooth switch from naïvety to cunning in mere seconds.

But again, it reminds me of what I already know about the brothers and the separate paths they pursue. And so, I return to regarding all the happenings in this film with more than a grain of salt.

Mufasa: The Lion King: Continuing the Circle of Life

There’s no denying that The Lion King is an incomparable film. Mufasa: The Lion King certainly had big pawprints to fill, especially when it came to stepping out of the shadow of its equally infamous remake.

Overall, the film is not extraordinary. I found it entertaining in places, and the animation is exquisite, but it simply lacks the full-throated roar of the entries that came before it. And as a prequel, I find it hard to justify why it was made, save for the world-building and the rare brotherly moments between Mufasa and Scar.

Nevertheless, happiness thrives on many things, nostalgia included. For that reason, the prequel manages to evoke nostalgia as it brings beloved characters to life. Coupled with the inclusion of Kiara and a group of outcast lions, I’m certain fellow fans of The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride and The Lion Guard will appreciate the callbacks to these respective entries.

So, if you enjoy exploring the lore of The Lion King or you’re a Disney buff who loves animation in all its wonderful forms, then you will find this film to be a solid addition to its line-up of remakes. And for the sake of this movie franchise’s legacy, that’s all we can hope for.

Mufasa: The Lion King is available to stream on Disney+.

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For more film reviews, check out:

• Wonder Woman 1984 – Film Review
• The Stranger in Our Bed, a Film Review
• Short Film Review: Gì Cũng Sửa (“Fix Anything”)
• Elio: Adventure/Sci-fi, an Animated Film Review