Mufasa: The Lion King

Mufasa: The Lion King Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, Preston Nyman, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Keith David, John Kani

Director: Barry Jenkins

What’s Good: The film’s visual fidelity is impressive, making it look like real animals are being filmed.

What’s Bad: The film lacks any meaningful justification for its existence, making the story feel rushed and slow. There is no clear vision.

Loo Break: The music numbers are a low point in the film, so if you need a break, the start of a song is the perfect signal to go for one.

Watch or Not?: Sadly, this movie is a big pass, but there are better movies to watch during the holidays.

Language: English (with subtitles).

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 118 Minutes

User Rating:

The Disney live-action remake universe continues to grow every single year in search of maximum profit, reminding people that Disney animation used to be the best of the best when it came to the medium, and now they have to get used to getting soulless live-action remakes that don’t improve anything that the originals did. Mufasa: The Lion King might be the worst of them all by wasting the time of audiences and creatives as a ton of money that could have been used to make several better films.

Mufasa: The Lion King Movie Review: Script Analysis

One of the first things that will catch people’s attention is that the film barely knows what it is doing at every point in the runtime, as director Barry Jenkins and writer Jeff Nathanson struggle to find something to care about in a story that shouldn’t exist.

Mufasa and the rest of the royal family act in such a way that they never film like real characters. The characters feel confined to their predetermined roles from the original film, lacking the freedom to evolve or engage viewers. This rigid approach stifles creativity and ultimately weakens the story, as without compelling characters, the narrative falls flat.

So, instead of telling something interesting, the film focuses much of its runtime on details that no one cares about. Sometimes, they are so worthless that the film reaches a sense of ridiculousness often not seen on screen. Then, you realize there is no vision behind the film and that everyone working in front and behind the scenes is doing this in a hired gun situation instead of putting real passion into it.

The writing is still professional, but it lacks focus and personality. Everything told on screen is something no one asks for in reality. The extinction of mystery from some of the most interesting characters in the original makes you realize the film hurts itself and the original film.

Mufasa: The Lion King Movie Review: Star Performance

Sadly, the acting might be one of the most complex elements to discuss in the film because the voices sound good. There is enough tone and texture to them; the facial features of these realistic-looking digital lions don’t allow for any powerful expression or emotion, leaving the film looking good but soulless, which is a shame because Aaron Pierre is a great actor. He should have the opportunity to do something great somewhere else.

The rest of the cast, including renowned actors like Mads Mikkelsen, face a similar challenge as Pierre, with their performances feeling underwhelming. The lack of expressive animation in the realistic 3D models leaves the emotional depth of their portrayals lacking. With traditional animation or more dynamic character movement, their talents could have truly shone, creating a much more emotionally resonant experience.