Movie Review ~ Mufasa: The Lion King

It’s extraordinary to think how much cultural ground The Lion King has covered since 1994 when the stirring Circle of Life first reverberated through theaters. From its beginnings as a hand-drawn animated classic to its reimagining on a Broadway stage (debuting in MN, no less!), direct to video sequels, theme park mini-shows, and its ambitious live-action adaptation in 2019, the story has taken on many forms, some more successful than others. The latest installment, Barry Jenkins’s Mufasa: The Lion King, ventures boldly back into the Pride Lands with a prequel that breathes unexpected life into a legacy that could easily have tipped into redundancy. Against the odds (and my doubts going in), Jenkins delivers a tale that feels both worthy of its legacy and heartfelt in its conviction, carving out its place in a beloved mythology.

A story within a story, Mufasa opens with John Kani’s (Black Panther) Rafiki recounting the legend of lion king to Kiara, voiced by Blue Ivy Carter, Simba (Donald Glover, The Martian), and Nala’s (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter) curious daughter. Through vivid flashbacks, we meet a young Mufasa (Aaron Pierre, Old) separated from his parents and struggling to survive the unforgiving savannah. His path intersects with Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr., Luce), a royal heir weighed down by familial expectations, and together, they embark on a journey that shapes both their futures in profound ways.

However, Mufasa: The Lion King isn’t simply a tale of how a king rises but a surprisingly touching exploration of how hardship, friendship, and courage forge the figures we come to revere.  Jenkins approaches the film with the same emotional depth and authenticity that made his earlier works, Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk, so engrossing. There’s an intimacy in his storytelling that grounds even the most fantastical elements, allowing the characters to come across as more than stock prequel archetypes standing in for others we will meet later. Jenkins’s vision doesn’t just populate the Pride Lands with dazzling creatures but brings genuine humanity to its animal inhabitants, allowing every character to feel carefully considered and quite real.

As has been the case in each iteration no matter the venue, the voice cast elevates the material. Pierre captures Mufasa’s strength and tenderness, lending the character the quiet nobility that foreshadows his later reign. Harrison Jr. provides Taka with a tragic complexity, making his journey toward a destiny you can probably guess as compelling as the film’s central hero. Meanwhile, Mads Mikkelsen (The Promised Land) steals scenes as Kiros, a cunning and menacing ghost-white lion whose quest for dominance hits a snag when he and his pride encounter Simba and Taka.

Seth Rogen (Dumb Money) and Billy Eichner’s (Bros) Timon and Pumbaa, returning for more comedic antics, strike a satisfying balance between nostalgia and creatively bringing their popular characters back, delivering some of the film’s lighter moments without undermining its intense third act. The dynamics among these voices and others (Thandiwe Newton, Anika Noni Rose, and The Midnight Sky’s Tiffany Boone are equally strong as influential females in the lives of Simba and Taka) make the Pride Lands feel alive, a world of vivid personalities and intricate relationships.

The photorealistic animation utilized in Mufasa: The Lion King — now a hallmark of Disney’s updated classics — has reached new heights here. Each frame is meticulously crafted, a genuine work of art.  From the sprawling vistas of the savannah to the intricate play of light and shadow in the characters’ fur as a breeze blows by, the world feels alive, immersive, and worth experiencing on the largest screen available. Yet, the smaller, tender moments ring truest, revealing Jenkins’s ability to find profound feeling in the subtlest of details.

The film’s musical contributions, however, are a mixed bag. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original songs bring energy and levity but occasionally clash with the story’s tonal weight. Mikkelsen’s villainous character, for example, is saddled with an upbeat number that undermines his otherwise chilling presence. While the music retains the franchise’s theatrical charm, these moments can feel tonally jarring, pulling the audience out of the carefully pitched narrative. Still, Miranda’s work — notably an early stirring ballad performed by Rose’s character and a duet between Pierre and Pollard — has highlights that bolster key emotional beats.  (I do wish that the tick, tick… BOOM! director would get back behind the camera soon, though)

Despite its minor musical flaws, Mufasa: The Lion King succeeds where many prequels falter. It adds depth to the existing mythology without diminishing the magic of what came before. Jenkins and his team have brought to the screen a story that stands tall on its own merits while honoring the rich legacy of The Lion King. For families, it offers humor, adventure, and poignant lessons; for longtime fans, it reaffirms the timeless appeal of the Pride Lands. This film isn’t merely another chapter in Disney’s multimedia empire (I mean, it is, but it’s not as obnoxiously an obvious shill for cash as I feel the live-action Moana releasing in 2026 will be) — it’s a thoughtful journey to the past that proves sometimes it is ok to see how favorite characters became who they are.