History
A flood separates the lion cub Mufasa from his parents. Taken in by a royal family, he meets Taka, the heir. But when white lions attack them, the two brothers are forced to flee. Along the way, they meet Nala, a lioness and the monkey Rafiki, who guides them to a more welcoming land…
Our opinion
Prequel to the famous Lion KingMufasa tells the story of Simba’s dad, killed by the evil Scar at the start of the animated film released in 1993. More precisely, he returns to the relationship of enemy brothers – modeled on that of Moses and Ramses – by explaining how their rivalry was born. After a laborious first act, without much originality, the proposal, produced entirely in digital special effects (CGI), gains momentum during its second hour. Although not always realistic, the technical rendering remains astonishing, with a desire to favor very wide shots, to better represent the immensity of the settings crossed by Mufasa and his family. A few sung passages also punctuate this road-movie in the heart of nature… A nature in danger which never stops unleashing itself on the small group, as if to show its omnipotence. True to his concerns, Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins Moonlightdirectly addresses the theme of rejection with heroes – and anti-heroes – deemed undesirable by their peers. The muscular finale refers to the wars that are shaking the world, with a call for the unity of peoples to face dangerous invaders. A work in tune with the times, therefore, which demonstrates the ability that certain artists have to appropriate blockbusters/studio franchises, without distorting their soul.
Our rating: 3/5.
ANIMATED FILM (United States, 1h58), by Barry Jenkins.
