With 2019’s remake of The Lion King coining in an enormous $1.6b it’s little surprise that we now have a follow up film. This time it’s Mufasa a prequel to the original that follows Simba’s father so memorably and commandingly voiced by the late James Earl Jones that the film credits him before titles roll.
As a prequel several of the legacy characters would not get a look in so how do Pumbaa and Timon get to return ? Well their service to the story is as an audience to Rafiki the Mandril monkey recounting Mufasa’s origins as the film flits back and fore between the three and the story being told. Pumbaa and Timon remain the comic relief to the film with several clever and often funny throwaway lines that reference the stage musical and of course their song Hakuna Matata.
So the film picks up with Mufasa as a lion cub frolicking around in the African savannah when a river bursts its banks and he is separated from his parents – that trauma of child separation that was so powerful in the original film remains here as a story hook and something to get the kids thinking. Mufasa soon finds himself washed up miles away and taken under the wing of fellow lion cub Taka and his sympathetic mother and his King of the Jungle father who will eventually pass the mantle to his son.
But Taka’s father, proud of being top dog nee lion is under threat from a pride of grey furred lions who have taken over the savannah’s and his is the last pride in the Valley of the Kings to be over thrown by force. The subtext of colonialization is just one of many sly references here with inclusivity and entitlement being one of several others. But it’s Mufasa who proves himself as the natural leader over Taka the presumed heir to be and and the pair find themselves in a kind of exile fleeing for their lives in what is a saggy second act before the climactic scene.
Much like the 2019 remake the photo realism is on point with the landscapes brilliantly realized. But like the 2019 remake this also runs at around two hours whereas the original 1994 version ran at around 90 minutes and it’s something that all the ‘live action’ remakes are guilty of running unnecessarily too long as is the case here. It’s not helped either by that problem of all modern day musicals, the instantly forgettable songs. Nothing here has the ear worm of Elton John and Tim Rice’s songs and it’s telling that the film frequently references Hakuna matata, a song that’s remained memorable for decades.
Helmed by Barry Jenkins he would not seem to be the obvious choice but actually when his back catalogue includes ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’, Dear White People and his Oscar winning ‘Moonlight’, all of which share common themes, its apparent that he was the obvious choice. With a starry cast that includes Mads Mikkelsen, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover. Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James and of course Beyonce so it’s no surprise that nepo-baby Blue Ivy Carter voices one of the character – just be thankful that she doesn’t sing because as the leaked footage of her in the school play version of the musical shoe couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket or hit a note with a hammer.
That The Lion King title still carries much affection and loyalty from fans who are old enough the remember the original film and therefore will want to bring their own children making this a guaranteed hit.
related feature : The TRUTH about The Lion King Movie
related feature : ‘The Lion King’ (2019) – REVIEW
Take a look at our char with the cast o0n the red carpet at the UK premiere….
Here’s the Mufasa trailer…..
