“Mufasa: The Lion King” was recently released to be viewed by audiences worldwide. The movie is a 2024 musical drama film, directed by Barry Jenkins.
In March, it’s planned to stream on Disney+, which is $9.99 a month. Based on the original “Lion King,” the goofy storytellers, Pumba and Timon, and the daughter of Simba and Nala, Kiara, are featured in the movie.
Mufasa’s story is told by senior Rafiki about Mufasa, and his brother Taka, but in their journey, they meet Sarabi, Zazu, and Rafiki when they were young.
Positive takes on the movie include natures of characters in depth, photorealistic animals in landscapes, and an overall empathetic story that was a realistic revolution to the Lion King original movie. It allows fans to explore identities while comparing to the original.
But, there was some audience disappointment. A few things were its dullness, weak songs, predictable plot points, and underdeveloped character motivations. The story was seen to revolve around one rushed plot, with lack of emotion for the characters.
The movie has an intended message about Mufasa discovering who he truly is, and the path he is meant to take alongside his dear brother. The theme of destiny and leadership is central to the lion’s journey as Mufasa learns what it means to be a true king, not just through his natural strength. There is also dedicated respect for the long known concept of the Circle of Life, an original concept in “The Lion King”.
Taka progressively takes the position as a lower-ranking lion who later learns to not overstep boundaries.
According to reviews, the movie is considered an improvement compared to “The Lion King” due to enhanced visuals and Barry Jenkins positively changed directing style. But the film still falls short as a prequel in regards to being a rushed story. It is less impactful as the original film.
With main actors, John Kani returning as Rafiki, Aaron Pierre voicing Mufasa, Tiffany Boone voicing Sarabi, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. playing Taka, they sparked some newly popular songs, including a musical duet, “I Always Wanted A Brother” by Pierre and Harrison.
According to the top grossing movies of 2024, “Mufasa” was a hit, surpassing the $500 million mark globally, even with a slow start. Overall, this movie was positive, with some backlash.
