Mufasa: The Lion King

Rating:                      PG

Genre:                       Action/Adventure, Animation, Drama, Musical

Directed by:            Barry Jenkins

Written by:              Jeff Nathanson (screenplay)

Based off of the characters by:

• Linda Woolverton
• Irene Mecchi
• Jonathan Roberts

Release Date

Theatre:        December 20, 2024

Cast:              Aaron Pierre as Mufasa; Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka; Tiffany Boone as Sarabi; Kagiso Lediga as Young Rafiki; Preston Nyman as Zazu; Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara; John Kani as Rafiki; Mads Mikkelsen as Kiros; Seth Rogen as Pumbaa; Billy Eichner as Timon; Thandiwe Newton as Eshe; Lennie James as Obasi; Anika Noni Rose as Afia; Keith David as Masego; Braelyn Rankins as Mufasa Cub; Theo Somolu as Taka Cub; Donald Glover as Simba; Beyoncé as Nala

 

Review Courtesy: PluggedIn                  Reviewer: Kennedy Unthank

MOVIE REVIEW

Kiara can’t help it: She’s terrified.

Her father, Simba, has temporarily left to be with Nala, her mother, as she prepares to give birth. And sure, she’s got Timon, Pumbaa and Rafiki to look after her while Simba’s away, but that approaching storm makes her tremble even more.

That’s why Rafiki sits her down to tell her the story of another scared cub who overcame his fear and became the lion king: her grandfather, Mufasa.

Yes, Mufasa was also terrified when that flash flood swept him away from his parents and into a foreign land. But he found a brother in Taka, the cub who pulled him from the water and helped Mufasa find acceptance in a new pride.

Taka is royal blood, son of King Obasi. And he’s ecstatic to finally have a brother with whom he can grow old. And one day, when Taka is king, he and Mufasa can rule over all the creatures of the land.

But the truth is … Taka is no leader. He is a coward, which is why he fled when outsider lions ambushed his mother.

The lions are led by Kiros, a fierce, white-coated feline who has slaughtered his way through the lands to crown himself the lion king—and he’s soon to arrive at Taka’s pride. That’s why Taka and Mufasa are commanded by King Obasi to flee to order to preserve the royal bloodline. They take off, hoping to take refuge in the far-off Milele, a mythical land of peace and prosperity.

But something nags at Taka. Because as they journey, he can’t help but see the animals they encounter along the way look at Mufasa as leader, not at him. They admire Mufasa’s traits, not his.

Isn’t Taka the one who’s supposed to rule?

POSITIVE ELEMENTS

Mufasa and Taka are a study in contrast when it comes to identity. Mufasa is a “stray” and outcast without any claim to the throne; yet he carries the attributes of a good king. He is courageous, strong and humble. And even as others tell him that he should rule, Mufasa struggles to accept such a possibility, since he still feels like an outcast. Meanwhile, Taka is of royal blood. But he is not a good fit for kingship because he is a coward and shows signs of a domineering attitude, unwilling to put in the work to prove himself.

This idea is explored further as Mufasa and Taka reveal their traits while singing about birds in a tree. Taka explains that, when he’s king, the birds will have to do what he says, and he’ll look down on them. But Mufasa understands that every animal has its place in the kingdom, and the birds have the freedom to fly wherever they wish. And despite Taka’s complaints, the birds will always look down on them.

These contrasting viewpoints are why Mufasa eventually rallies animals of different species to join him in the fight against evil. He says that while they have their different roles in the “circle of life,” they can all contribute something unique along the way.

Rafiki, meanwhile, warns of how becoming an outcast can make the heart inclined towards evil. He explains that lions like Kiros were originally outcasts, and the hate aimed at them has caused them to hate everyone else. However, Rafiki and Mufasa, despite being outcasts themselves, guard themselves from falling into similar anger.

SPIRITUAL ELEMENTS

Mufasa longs to reach Milele, a legendary land he’s heard about from his mother. It’s described in many glowing, ethereal terms. We hear, “It lives in you, it lives in me,” it’s “the place beyond the sky,” and it’s the place you can picture if you close your eyes. (It should also be noted that this Swahili word translates as “eternity,” “always” or “forever.”) Though Mufasa believes in the place, others don’t, describing it as a myth told to children. However, we learn that Milele is a real location. And despite some strange descriptions of the place, Christians may be able to connect Mufasa’s belief in Milele to a similar, if broad, conversation about heaven.

Mufasa and Rafiki have visions in their dreams that help guide them to Milele, and they act on them. We see those dreams come true to some extent, including Rafiki knowing about an earthquake before it occurs.

Rafiki spends much of his time mumbling spiritual mumbo-jumbo, which others describe as “talking to the spirits and summoning the devil.” (The “devil,” in context here, is actually a ferocious cheetah that appears three nights in a row.) Rafiki does follow the voices he hears in his dreams, and he encourages others to close their eyes and all-but empty their minds to help discern the way to go. In other instances, however, characters simply close their eyes to hone their other senses.

In one scene, Mufasa asks Rafiki how many visions of his have come true, to which Rafiki admits, “None.” But Rafiki argues that it’s more important to feel that the visions are true rather than attempting to reject potential destiny.

In one instance, Rafiki chants something that causes an unconscious lioness to awaken. He speaks to a tree as if it is sentient. And we also hear vague spiritual phrases such as, “He lives in you,” when describing someone who has passed away. Rafiki tells someone to look to the heavens to see the great kings of the past, and when she does so, she sees a cloudy depiction of a lion.

SEXUAL & ROMANTIC CONTENT

Taka develops feelings for Sarabi soon after meeting her. However, Sarabi develops feelings for Mufasa, and the two sing a song about falling in love. They occasionally rub foreheads together.

VIOLENT CONTENT

The violence here is bloodless, just like Mufasa’s 2019 counterpart. However, death is a real threat, and the battles between these largely photorealistic CGI animals can feel and look intense.

Kiros slays many lions and lionesses in his pursuit to become the lion king. We don’t see any blood from his (or his pride’s) attacks, though they do claw, bite and tackle victims, whom we’re later told have been killed. Likewise, Mufasa survives an attack and kills a lion, though the lion’s death is more referenced than seen.

Many lionesses meet their ends by being crushed beneath massive falling rocks, simply vanishing without a trace underneath the rubble. Someone gets pinned beneath a rock as it sinks to the bottom of a pool of water. A lioness gets eaten by crocodiles offscreen, and a couple more fall animals to their deaths. A lioness gets trampled by elephants.

Crocodiles nearly eat Mufasa when he’s a cub. Taka receives a brutal slash to the face which leaves a scar on it. Lions fight, though there isn’t blood. Lions get kicked around by stampeding elephants, and one gets knocked unconscious. A flash flood sweeps away a lion cub. Some lions tumble down a rocky cliff. An earthquake splits the ground open.

In a fictionalized retelling of the previous movie’s events, Timon and Pumbaa push Scar off a cliff into fire below, and they claim that they ate the lion afterwards. Likewise, Obasi reminds his pride that they eat any strays they come across, and he threatens to do so to the cub Mufasa unless he can beat Taka in a race.

CRUDE OR PROFANE LANGUAGE

None.

DRUG & ALCOHOL CONTENT

None.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ELEMENTS

Obasi tells Taka that “deceit is the tool of kings.” And, of course, whenever Timon and Pumbaa are onscreen, there’s always the threat of some toilet humor.

CONCLUSION

In 2019, Disney’s The Lion King roared onto screens in photorealistic CGI glory. The film made more $1.6 billion. Considering the $260 million it took to make it, that’s a pretty good return on investment.

So good that you might consider making a prequel.

Enter 2024’s Mufasa: The Lion King. With a new set of original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s looking to feast on a little more of that profit. And it just may get what it’s hunting for.

Unlike 2019’s entry, this addition to the franchise is a new tale. It sheds light on the brotherly relationship that Mufasa and Scar—Taka—once had. And though they sing of brotherhood, it’s clear from the moment they meet (a moment which mimics their final interaction in the original tale) that their destinies are set to collide.

And destiny’s a relevant idea to bring up here, too, as this film’s spiritual components will be one of two difficulties for families to consider. After all, so long as Rafiki hangs around, you’re bound to get a musing or two about the circle of life, visions and ancestors in the sky. There’s little structure to Rafiki’s comments, but given the fact that his visions come true, it’s a spiritual element parents will need to talk about with their kids.

Mufasa, like its predecessor, also tries to keep violence as PG as possible. In other words, that means when animals die, it’s either offscreen or via vanishing from view when they’re squished under boulders. It may be bloodless, but these fights still feel intense due to that photorealistic nature.

I don’t think anyone expects Mufasa to usurp the throne of the original Lion King or its remake. The story remains a classic, whether it’s delivered by Hamlet or Simba.

But don’t expect this film to be an outcast in Disney’s repertoire by any means, either.

Reviewed by KENNEDY UNTHANK

Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”