As Disney continues to adapt movies into live-action, I wonder if it is necessary to tweak the classic animations. Dec. 20, “Mufasa: The Lion King” released in the theaters, a live-action, however primarily CGI prequel to “The Lion King.” This movie showcases the rise of Mufasa, Simba’s father and King of the Pride Lands. While also illustrating the backstory behind Scar’s innocent rising as Taka, the viewer also watches as Mufasa and Scar slowly form their intense rivalry.
Overall, I do not hate the fact that this movie is computer-generated. While yes, I prefer the original 1994 animated “Lion King”, I think the CGI makes Mufasa more visually appealing. For example, I do not think I would make an effort to watch the movie if it was just animated, and I do not think they could replicate it to the same authenticity as the original film. As for the CGI, the speaking and singing was awkward for the characters at times, but of course, this is expected when manipulating fake animals to speak.
The movie gained a lot of media attention after its release for its musical soundtrack. Fans loved the song “I Always Wanted a Brother,” sung between Mufasa and Scar as it gained traction on TikTok. I admit this is a catchy song, but it is pretty much the only good one. The other songs featured in the soundtrack, written by famous lyricist Lin Manuel Miranda, are bland. I think it is important for a prequel of The Lion King, arguably one of the best Disney soundtracks, to have a similar music style to the original and be more unique. The songs were not distinct, as all of them sounded similar and did not add anything to the film, making them forgettable.
I thought the plot was developed and it kept me intrigued. In the beginning, the story of Mufasa is presented as a tale told by Rafiki to Simba’s daughter. This worked as a good transitional bit and allowed for humor with characters featured from the original Lion King, like Pumba and Timon. The spacing of plot points was even as well, and the only time I felt the storyline was rushed, was when Scar turned into a villain. I wish this was developed more and given more severity because it is not documented in other Lion King movies. The reason why he felt “betrayed,” was not very trivial, and it also allowed Mufasa to not take much accountability.
My overall take is that this movie feels targeted at kids, and the film itself is an okay movie, nothing too special but definitely not bad. As someone who would not consider themself a film buff, I enjoyed the movie and probably would watch it again. If you plan to watch the movie though, do not be too critical and just have a good time.
