Mufasa Movie Review | MUFASA The Lion King : From where it all began

Rating : 4/5 stars

If we’ve been following the works of Disney and their movies for The Lion King, we must be already well versed in the story of Simba and Kiara both of which I enjoyed thoroughly and love the animations for.

Personally, I’ve been excited for Mufasa ever since watching the trailer while wondering how the story of Mufasa will be told. Of course, in the movie we are introduced to all the characters which we know of and seeing them once again was heart warming and nostalgic. Kiara is left in the care of Timon and Pumbaa when Rafiki joins the gang and suggests to tell a story of a lion with no blood of nobility in him.

The inner child in me was jumping when Mufasa as a cub is introduced to us, the visuals and voice acting really enhanced the world building of a place which Mufasa’s mother calls Milele, a place which is in our hearts and what we earn for. However, this movie had me gripping my hand rest when Mufasa is separated from his parents and it reminds us of young Simba, so it seems that movie does fall back on its previous ones to recollect and give us an “Ah ha” moment. And of course, we are introduced to someone new yet not unknown entirely, someone who saves Mufasa and his name is Taka, a lion of royal blood and an heir to his father, Obasi. Mufasa as a cub is called a stray yet Eshe Taka’s mother wishes to keep and raise Mufasa with the females.

An interesting point which strikes me as I watch young Mufasa and Taka grow older and bond together as brothers who love racing each other and disturbing other male lions from their sleep and an angry Obasi warns Taka that one day Mufasa will betray him when he is in power even in sleep. The name “King of the wild” etc is given solely by man kind and all these characters have humanistic traits to develop them from good to bad and reveal their personality. There is also a small portrayal of hierarchy in the movie which is natural in the wild as a predator and pray and I will elaborate on that a bit later.

As the story progresses, we have an inclusion of The Outsiders - The white lions who are bigger and more fierce than a normal one, and they seemed to have been rumoured to go about and destroy clans cause Kiros is the one and only Lion King. And thus Mufasa and Taka are forced tofled from their clan as Eshe urges Mufasa to keep looking for his parents and keep going towards the light and Taka as a sole survivor.

The Outsiders are actually tracking the two of them because, Mufasa kills Kiros’s son but that dynamic is not touched upon or maybe I am reading into Kiros and his son relationship a lot more as Kiros wants to be the only King so he uses his vengeance as a reason to keep hunting Mufasa for achieving his goal of stamp out every lion.

I love how Timon and Pumbaa act like the audience, much like their reactions , complains etc, so it gives a new break from the main story and produces giggles across the dark room. Now as they travel, young Rafiki is introduced to us so is Sarabi whom we know as Mufasa’s partner yet Taka also takes interest in her however given the predictability of the plot Taka is obviously heart broken yet its only added to his growing envy and guilt over not being able to save his precious people and with that the villain arc of Taka begins with his fury reaching upto a point where he goes to the Outsiders himself and help them track Mufasa in the snowy mountains.

And way past the mountains, finally, they see in the horizon the abundance of green flickering under the warm sun, for this is Milele. Everyone is thrilled to have arrived at the destination which they only heard rumours of as a myth. This for them paradise on earth and personally I ever since the beginning of the film I felt Milele to be a place within one’s heart and a place where the departed go for rest that is what I envisioned it and yet somehow if you think about it, Milele is a place where birth and death happens it is the Circle Of Life and throughout the film this is the pint where everyone feels the breath of Union which includes the characters as they’re heaven struck at its sight.

The scene when Kiros arrives at Milele after successfully tracking him with the help of his brother yet Mufasa is willing to fight because he was never running away from them, it is only because he felt responsible for the safety of Taka. But, the fight for this scene was intense especially when they fall into the water but Mufasa has to overcome his fear to defeat Kiros but Taka who watches the entire thing stands at the edge clawing into Mufasa as he struggles in water but he saves him. Yet again, we remember the scene from the first movie so I will give it to the director for playing with the past and present which we know of, but it still pulls the heartstrings.

Now, that Mufasa has defeated Kiros, the animals of Milele welcome Mufasa as their King, but he isn’t willing to see him underneath him because they too help him defeat the bad which had been taking advantage of their fear. Rafiki assures Mufasa that it was because of him at everyone united so he deserves the position of the Lion King. So, we see a development of Mufasa too, from an uncertain, anxious Lion to finding a place for himself among the people who accepted him. And that is what makes a true Lion King, that in our eyes, a King should have these qualities, as shown to us in a humanistic way possible through animals.

And, me and my friend wondered How Scar came into being, because he was Mufasa’s brother in the first movie, but in one scene the moment Tara’s voice changes into a deep, dark, grunt voice we were made clear that Taka is Scar. Therefore, I loved the reveal of his name and at the end, it all felt like everything came in a full circle.

Though, since it was the first live action of Lion King, obviously seeing the animals sing and dance was an adjustment I required to fully enjoy the film because it animations it makes sense since its the expressions make us adapt better to the songs but that was my one star less for this film but I will always welcome any new films of Lion King because it takes me back to my childhood where I would occasionally hum.

“He lives in you.”

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