Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Mufasa: The Lion King is a film very aware of where it comes from and, therefore, does not separate itself from that present addressed in the original animation and in the ‘live action’ of 2019.

Accompanying Simba and Nala's daughter, with comic relief from Timon and Pumba, and guided by Rafiki's narration, the plot jumps back in time to tell the story of a young Mufasa and his journey to a prosperous land, Melele, where he was crowned.

Perhaps that clinging to the familiar makes it difficult for this prequel to shine on its own. With an opportunistic script and occasionally stilted dialogue, it suffers mostly from self-references that pose similar situations and prevent the project from having a soul of its own.

Also, as with the remake of five years ago, the photorealistic animation is counterproductive to the emotional aspect that it tries to build and pushes the viewer to connect intermittently with the characters.

Although the digital image diminishes the authorial look of Barry Jenkins, so powerful in his previous projects, the director still winks at that interest in faces as a means of expression.

In addition, while he tries to make the visuals shine above the rest, he achieves a good and enjoyable pace for the audience. In the same line, the film shines above all for its soundtrack, where it knows how to reuse the mythical scores of Hans Zimmer while molding others by Dave Metzger and Nicholas Britell.

That same nostalgia is what Lin-Manuel Miranda manages to recover, responsible for the new songs and musical numbers. Heir to the great songs of Elton John, Miranda knows how to be up to the task and offer pieces that last.

“Mufasa: The Lion King” is a family film for new young viewers and for those who are nostalgic for their childhood. It is a new adventure that not only manages to entertain, but also extols family relationships and friendship, encourages us to confront our fears, encourages us to accept differences, reminds us of the importance of caring for our bonds and underlines that unity is always strength.