In Disney They are celebrating this year too. The celebrations for the centenary of 2023 are now joined in 2024 by the 30th anniversary of the premiere of The lion kingan animated film that marked an era and was revisited in 2019 to enter the catalog of live-action versions.
The result, with Jon Favreau at the helm, was very good, so now he takes the baton Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) in an attempt to expand the story that we already know in two different senses: at the beginning and at the end. Because the film serves as both a prequel and a continuation, delving into the legacy of Simba’s ancestors and the promise of new generations.
To all this we must also add that we are once again facing a musical in which the songs are of great importance: they are interwoven with the story to help us understand the evolution of the characters and empathize with them in the circumstances they go through.
It is a fundamental element in a two-hour film in which the musical sections and the comic relief (Timon and Pumbaa) help make the proposal flow. But what are the new songs created by Lin-Manuel Miranda like? They leave tribal rhythms behind to opt for efficient but somewhat repetitive melodic songs.
They are catchy, of course, and serve to frame, as we said, the climactic moments of the narrative, but they do not reach the level of the songs from the first film.
In general terms, that is the problem of Mufasa: The Lion King. It is a derivative product. Of great quality, with all the technical advances at the service of the film, but without the punch, the epic sense or the ability to excite of The lion king.
Although it is interesting to know the gestation process of the rivalry with Scar and the journey of a little Mufasa, it seems that the film falls short of its ambition and that this selfless father who gave his life for his son Simba and accompanies him from the stars perhaps deserved a less subsidiary recognition than what we already knew.
The quality of the animation (because as much as we talk about live-action, here practically everything is CGI) has long ceased to impress us and look, the film is fully sensory: it seems that you can smell the grass, caress the backs of the felines and there are even underwater planes.
We explore the settings in a more immersive way than ever, something that is very satisfying, but all of this only adds to the value of how the original film, with much less, managed to truly move us.
In search of Milele
Mufasa: The Lion King It starts by showing us little Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala. The lioness is about to give birth again and Simba goes in search of her, leaving her cub in the care of Rafiki, Timon and Pumbaa. At that moment, a storm breaks out that frightens Kiara and Rafiki begins to tell her the story of his grandfather Mufasa.
At the same age, the little lion got lost, losing his father and mother in a flood that left him completely alone. At least until he found a lioness who took care of him and taught him to read nature to survive. His son Taka, heir to the royal lineage, welcomed him as if he were his own brother.
However, Mufasa grew up longing for his family and dreaming of the legendary land of plenty, Milele, about which his mother sang songs to him.
Mufasa: The Lion King It is a pleasant journey, although the outcome is not at all surprising. It is easy to get ahead of the resolution of the plot, which does not hinder the enjoyment of the journey. The characters are so good and enjoyable that it is always worth meeting them again.
The remarks of the jokers Timon and Pumbaa and the teachings of the always spiritual Rafiki come to grease a narrative that may be somewhat cumbersome for the little ones, to whom it will be necessary to explain who is who (this is what has the photorealistic aspect, which does not allows the small lions to be distinguished too much).
Of course, values remain a strong point: modesty, honesty and the spirit of sacrifice are as present as ever. It is a plan to go to the movies as a family that does not disappoint.
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