The Mandalorian and Grogu | Official presentation: Al-Bayt Al-Sahili Media
By Staff | Published: 2025-09-22 17:45:00 | Source: Coastal House Media
Right away, I want to say that Mufasa: The Lion King Superior to its 2019 predecessor. But the unfortunate truth is that this standard is very low. Like a lot of people, I wasn’t the biggest fan of Jon Favreau The lion king The seemingly soulless adaptation though was a massive success at the box office, left people with a bitter taste in their mouth. So it was likely that we wouldn’t get a continuation of Simba’s story, so that doesn’t leave many ways to tell another story in this universe. A prequel with a largely original story seemed like a good direction to go after The Lion King.
Barry Jenkins was certainly an unexpected but exciting choice for a blockbuster film like this. He does his best to breathe new life into the famous Pride Lands by exploring their origins Mufasa and Taka (who eventually becomes Scar). Jenkins is known as moonlight and If Beale Street could talkbrings surprising emotional depth to what could easily have been a soulless cash grab. The facial emotions are much better this time, and we actually get an idea of what the characters are going through. This also takes the burden off the voice actors who had to do all the heavy lifting in the final installment.
Technically, the film is as amazing as expected. Stunning photorealism is back, with meticulous attention paid to every leaf, ripple of water, and blade of grass. The Pride Lands come to life in all their glory, creating a visual experience worth seeing on the big screen. Character animation is smooth and more expressive enough to evoke connection without sacrificing realism. Jenkins really tries to deliver a deeper emotional tone, exploring themes of family, loss, and legacy with more nuance than one might expect from a Disney blockbuster.
(LR): Sarabi (voiced by Tiffany Boone), Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.), Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre), and Rafiki (voiced by Kagiso Lediga) in the Disney live-action film MUFASA: THE LION KING. Image courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
At its core, the film focuses on the journey that shaped it Mufasa To the king we know, and how the two brothers turned into enemies. His journey takes very specific routes and offers almost nothing new. The story of brothers-turned-enemies is also played out several times and does not surprise or impress at any point. The story has moments of beauty but struggles to draw you in or get you emotionally attached. The script is weak and definitely needs help from the visuals to bring the entertainment value. Fortunately, the lack of freshness in the writing is partially compensated for by the stunning images. There are some truly impressive sequences that leave you impressed and engaged just because of the cinematography.
But where Mufasa Really disappointing in its music. Lin-Manuel Miranda is nowhere near his best and the singing is decent at best. Not a single song stayed with me when I left the show. The middle portions of the film are particularly strong, offering interesting subplots and emotional beats that elevate the narrative. Miranda is great at his job, but here he really struggles to get the beats right. The sound cast is strong across the board. Aaron picks up Pierre MufasaSoul, while Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner are as charming as ever. Kelvin Harrison Jr. has a hard time dealing with his British accent.
(LR): Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) and Taka (voiced by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) in Disney’s live-action film MUFASA: THE LION KING. Image courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All rights reserved.
Another area where the script gets it wrong is structure and use of character. You shouldn’t take the flashback storytelling route because it doesn’t work at all and just throws you off Mufasastory. It also never justifies the inclusion of Pumbaa and Timon, and they feel forced into the story. The final act feels emotionally satisfying but really spoils Taka’s story. His origin story is surprisingly disappointing and downright lazy. The story of his competition with Mufasa I will remember you often Transformers: one released earlier this year, and they did it better. It also feels as if the writers hesitated to take bold narrative risks, instead settling for a solution that feels too safe and familiar.
Mufasa: The Lion King It’s a visually stunning premise that adds poignant and world-building moments but struggles to justify its existence. The rushed narrative doesn’t develop the main characters, and while Barry Jenkins’ thoughtful direction adds gravitas, it can’t overcome the contrived screenplay. The voice work is strong, but Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music is surprisingly disappointing. It’s superior to its 2019 predecessor, but the film still lacks the spirit needed to truly roar to life.
Mufasa: The Lion King– It will be shown in cinemas on December 20.
(Tags for translation)Disney
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