Mufasa The Lion King Review: The King-Size Story of Noble King Mufasa

RATING - ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5*

Mufasa The Lion King Review Movie Talkies:

Disney finally offers a solid sequel to the legendary tale of The Lion King. The 1992 classic animated film had two sequels, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1999) and The Lion King 1½ (2004), both of which did not fare well. The same animated classic was remade into a live-action film with the same title in 2019, which became a blockbuster due to the nostalgia factor. Mufasa: The Lion King serves as a prequel to that live-action film and finally delivers a worthwhile sequel from Disney. It may not reach the greatness of the original due to the absence of that nostalgia factor, but it doesn’t feel like the “copy-paste” effort of the 2019 remake. There is a new story, a fresh narrative that allows it to stand on its own. Many Indians are unfamiliar with The Lion King, but they are aware of SS Rajamouli's Baahubali franchise. You’ll sense that Bahubali touch here, as Rajamouli's action epic was inspired by the same story (or Hamlet). Mufasa's tale is so noble that you simply can't dislike him, much like Amarendra Baahubali. Disney's iconic "circle of life" started with classic Bambi (1942) and I'm glad to see that after The Lion King, somebody used it for good here." He lives in you" is ne mantra!

The film begins with Simba's daughter, Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), who is left behind with Timon and Pumbaa by her father. As she becomes frightened by the lightning and storm, Rafiki (John Kani), the mandrill, arrives to comfort her and begins telling the origin story of two lions, Mufasa (Kiara's grandfather) and Taka (Mufasa's brother). After a flood, Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) becomes lost and befriends the young prince Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). He is adopted by Taka's family, and the two become close brothers. Taka's mother, Eshe (Thandiwe Newton), is impressed by Mufasa's skills (or gifts) and wishes for him to become king over her own cowardly son. One unfortunate day, Eshe is attacked by outsiders (white lions), and Mufasa kills Shaju to save her; Shaju happens to be the son of Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), a formidable leader of the white lions' gang. As Kiros plans to attack them, Mufasa and Taka are sent away by their parents, but will it stop Kiros from hunting them?

Jeff Nathanson's screenplay condenses a long story into less than two hours, so the film never feels boring. Jeff skillfully explores almost all the facets of Mufasa's character, from his childhood to young adulthood. The mandrill introduces Mufasa as a “cub born without a single drop of nobility in his blood,” yet he is the one who “changed their lives forever.” Some philosophical one-liners from him are profoundly thoughtful. “My eyes are open, my lids are closed,” he remarks while fishing with his eyes shut. Mufasa's kind and selfless nature completely wins you over, as you see him being the bravest lion around, but he is never one to take credit for his great deeds. Taka's character does feel predictable and cheesy, as does Sarabi, but their mediocrity makes Mufasa appear even larger. The entire narrative is engaging and doesn't lose your attention for a moment, except during the musical numbers that fall short of the mark. They even attempt to tarnish Hakuna Matata by changing the lyrics to Hakuna Mufasa, but thankfully, it only lasts for half a minute.

The voice cast sounded fine throughout the film. Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka, John Kani as Rafiki, Tiffany Boone as Sarabi, Donald Glover as Simba, Mads Mikkelsen as the deadly Kiros, Thandiwe Newton as Eshe, Lennie James as Obasi, Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, and others did a good job here. Billy Eichner as Timon and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa didn't have much to do, but one or two punchlines hit the right notes. Beyoncé voiced Nala's character, which hardly appears in two brief scenes. The rest of the supporting cast members also performed well.

Mufasa is a grand-scale film, and the visual effects ensure you appreciate its scale. I got to see it on the IMAX screen, so the impact was much better. I'd recommend an IMAX viewing to you as well. The sound design was impressive, as it matched the nature of the scenes and added an extra layer of emotion. The film has some shaky camera shots that might irritate you, but logically, they are fitting since they depict animals that run and move that way. Theoretically, you can't really complain about that. Barry Jenkins' live-action adventure is filled with horizons and colorful elements. From sunrise and sky to greenery, waterfalls, rivers, gardens, and even Iceland, it showcases all of nature's resources to provide a complete sense of that world. The film becomes very predictable at times, but somehow the emotional connection keeps you engaged. It's a busy film, so you won't feel bored at all. It's grand and touching at moments, so you won't feel like you've wasted your time. I guess that's enough for The Lion King sequel, especially considering the previous attempts. So, go for it and take your kids to enjoy this king-sized entertainer of the King, who was born to rule the jungle and your hearts.