'Mufasa: The Lion King' Review: A Tale of Love, Courage, and Legacy
Warning: spoilers ahead!
“The Lion King,” one of Disney’s most iconic tales ever made, is a 1994 musical animated film that tells the story of Simba, son of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi of Pride Lands, a kingdom of lions somewhere in Tanzania. It follows the young lion’s journey of loss and redemption, following the death of his father and the rule of Scar, Mufasa’s menacing brother, over the Pride Lands.
In 2019, the production company shook the world with a remake of the classic tale, featuring a photorealistic computer-generated animation. It became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, until it was surpassed by the animated coming-of-age film “Inside Out 2.”
About five years later, the franchise returns to the big screen with "Mufasa: The Lion King," a prequel that follows the beginnings of Mufasa, his deceitful brother Scar, his love story with his wife Sarabi, and how he rose as the Lion King.
The Rise of Mufasa: The Lion King
Following the events of “The Lion King,” the film starts by introducing us to Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), Simba’s daughter. Amid a loud and scary storm, the prophetic mandrill Rafiki (John Kani) comforts the young cub by telling her a story about his grandfather, Mufasa (Aaron Pierre), the mightiest king the Pride Lands has ever known.
Mufasa was no more than ordinary. Without a drop of royal blood, young Mufasa, together with his mother and father, dreams of living in Milele, a land of abundance beyond the horizon. However, an unprecedented flood separates Mufasa from his parents, leaving him astray with nowhere to go.
He is then found by Taka (who we know from the original film as Scar), son of the Obasi, leader of his pride. Wanting a brother, Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) encourages his father to keep Mufasa, who is eventually raised by his mother, Eshe. With her outstanding skills as a hunter, Eshe raises Mufasa as her own and trains him how to hunt. Taka, on the other hand, is being groomed by his father to be the next king of their pride.
Because of his training, Mufasa grew up skillful and with heightened senses — something that Taka grew jealous of. One day, while Mufasa is training how to hunt in pairs with Eshe, they encounter the larger, more intimidating white lions, also called The Outsiders. During their battle, Mufasa manages to end the life of one, who turns out to be the son of Kiros, King of The Outsiders.
Motivated by revenge, Kiros seeks the lion who killed his son. To protect their pride’s bloodline, Obasi and Eshe encourage Taka and Mufasa to head to Milele and escape Kiros. Throughout their journey, they meet young Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), a princess of her pride; her “sidekick,” Zazu the hornbill; and Rafiki, who was outcast by his own horde.
From Jaw-Dropping Visuals to Head-Bopping Scores
Like its 2019 remake, “Mufasa: The Lion King” did not fail to amaze us with its realistic visuals and vivid portrayal of the savanna. We also appreciated how the animators showcased the stark difference between Mufasa and Taka by picturing the former with golden yellow fur and the latter with a more muted hue, helping us discern who’s who in the film.
We could also see how they made an effort to put more facial expressions on the lions’ faces (in a not-so-cringey way), compared to the first film.
Musically, the film offered some head-bopping scores, courtesy of the “Hamilton” visionary Lin Manuel-Miranda. The song “We Go Together,” sung by Mufasa, Taka, Sarabi, Rafiki, and Zazu, was a delight to watch. Not only did the song encapsulate their journey, but also the brewing love triangle between Mufasa, Taka, and Sarabi (IYKYK).
Mufasa and Sarabi’s “Tell Me It’s You” was also particularly enchanting, which made our hearts flutter and gave us the vibe of a magical fairytale love story — the makings of a classic Disney love song.
An Enlightening Backstory, But A Few Loose Ends
The 2019 remake, like the original animated film, has always hinted that there’s a story behind Mufasa and Scar’s ill-fated relationship.
As expected, "Mufasa: The Lion King” showed us the dynamics of their relationship prior to their clash, what caused the rift between the two, why Scar has such hatred towards the Lion King, and why Mufasa kept Scar in his life despite the latter’s spiteful attitude.
In the original film, Scar was also going on about how Sarabi chose Mufasa over him and how he wanted Sarabi to be his queen during his regime. This was also answered by the latest release, which shed light on the lioness’ role in Mufasa and Scar’s lives before the events of the first movie.
And for those of you who are curious, yes, the film tells us how Scar got his scar and the nickname befitting it.
Aside from the sibling drama, the film also reveals the events that led to Mufasa's rise as the Lion King despite him being born without royal blood and how he met key characters in the first film, like Rafiki and Zazu.
While certainly enlightening, there were just quite a few loose ends that we wished could have been answered by the prequel. One of them is how the hyenas became fearsome foes for the lions. Sure, they gained power only when Scar rose to the throne, but why do they resent Mufasa and his pride (if we’re taking zoology facts out of the question, of course), and why are they living in the shadows?
Another question that lingered in our minds (spoiler alert) is if The Outsiders made it after the final battle at Milele. Did they go extinct? Why haven’t they made their appearance after all that happened?
Love, Courage, & Legacy
One of the major themes highlighted in the film was courage, which was exemplified by Mufasa himself. In the film, Mufasa faced several challenges, including his trauma, which he surpassed by rising above and finding the strength inside him — proving that things that don’t kill us make us stronger.
The film also discusses how love is such a powerful thing, which applies to both good and evil. In many ways, this theme motivated the whole story, from Mufasa and Taka’s brotherly love for each other to Mufasa’s affection towards Sarabi. Love, however, was also what pushed Taka to betray his brother.
“Mufasa: The Lion King” also builds on “The Circle of Life” idea from the original films, showcasing how Mufasa’s life story affects Simba’s and how it sparks strength for his granddaughter, Kiara.
Final Thoughts
Overall, “Mufasa: The Lion King” is an exciting film that provided us with a clear backstory of Mufasa’s relationship with Scar and his rise to the throne. While there may be some unsolved questions, it is still a moving story that teaches us the value of love and courage, roaring into our hearts while still being a fitting tribute to the beloved tale.
Rating: 8/10
“Mufasa: The Lion King” is showing in theaters in Asia starting Dec. 18. To buy tickets or check out participating cinemas, click here.
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