Review Roundup: MUFASA: THE LION KING- What Do Critics Think of the Disney Prequel?

This Friday, Disney will release Mufasa: The Lion King, the new prequel to the 2019 remake. The movie features original songs from Broadway favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda and a voice cast that includes Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., John Kani, Seth Rogan, Billy Eichner, Anika Noni Rose, and more. 

Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, “Mufasa: The Lion King” enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumba a lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.

Blending live-action filmmaking techniques with photoreal computer-generated imagery, the all-new feature film is directed by Barry Jenkins. Find out what critics think of the film below!

Lovia Gyarke, The Hollywood Reporter: "With a solid gang, Mufasa conforms to a typical journey of misfits. But that charm from the early scenes is lost with the addition of each new plot point. There’s a predictable love triangle, the betrayal that explains the corrosive relationship between the lion brothers and Biblical undertones that cast and recast the roles of Adam and Eve as well as Cain and Abel."

Pete Hammond, Deadline: "Though James Earl Jones is impossible to follow, these voice actors give it all a game try. It’s fun to have Eichner and Rogen back for their vaudeville routines, and apparently the filmmakers thought so also as we are constantly returning for more of their schtick as Rafiki continues his tale. And of course it will all lead to a majestic conclusion, one that pays homage to the original, The Lion King that will always rule cinematically."

Peter Dubruge, Variety: "It’s a massive understatement to call “Mufasa” an unlikely follow-up to Jenkins’ past work (the scope of which expanded considerably with Prime miniseries “The Underground Railroad”), and yet, the helmer’s creative and cultural integrity remains clear in nearly every choice. Jenkins has not sold out; rather, the studio bought into his vision, which respects the 1994 film and recognizes the significance that its role models and life lessons have served for young audiences."

William Bibbiani, TheWrap: "None of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs in “Mufasa” hold a candle to the original “Lion King” soundtrack, but unlike “Moana 2,” they’re all serviceable and tell the story effectively. The standout song is “Bye Bye,” a cheeky villain number about murder. Mikkelsen (and God knows how many character animators) do a fabulous job with Kiros, a larger than life do-badder who harkens back to the lithe, canny, diabolical Scar of the original 2D animated classic. The whole cast does a fine job, but in classic Disney fashion it’s the bad guys who have the most to work with, and have the most fun."

Alison Foreman, IndieWire: "The ending makes our title hero look so outlandishly foolish you might never see him the same way, but if you loved Favreau’s film from 2019 (and are still largely untroubled by eyestrain), then this hugely flawed expansion is worth watching. See it in theaters if the natural history museum is closed — or wait for it to come out on Disney+. “Mufasa” has hidden charms that are arguably best described as Jenkins released straight to VHS."

Kristy Puchko, Mashable: "Faced with the fan service expectations demanded of sequels and the soul-crushingly uninspired "live-action" animation style, Jenkins strove to break through with radiant human talent, swelling song numbers, and a physical point-of-view that perhaps allows the audience to feel part of the pride. But his swipes at originality are swallowed by so much IP. In the end, Mufasa: The Lion King is periodically entertaining but falls far short of reaching the heights of the original."

Brian Truitt, USA Today: "'Mufasa' is a definite improvement on the 2019 retread, which like the new “Lion King” was written by Jeff Nathanson. The photorealistic landscapes and animals feel more natural here in a fresh exploration of identity, friendship, empathy and found family – in short, a Barry Jenkins movie."

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian: "In turning the circle of life anti-clockwise to tell us this tale from the past, Mufasa: The Lion King duplicates ideas and personae from the earlier films – perhaps inevitably, as part of its ethos is that all lions are existential restatements of their ancestors."

Nicholas Barber, BBC: "The animation isn't the only problem with Mufasa: The Lion King, either. The fact is, the quality of every component is a step or two down from its equivalent in The Lion King. Miranda's songs show off his wizardry with scansion and rhyme schemes, but they don't have the karaoke-friendly melodies that Elton John and Tim Rice's songs had. And the voice cast gets worse with every addition to the franchise."

Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert: "Nevertheless, the movie really works. Jenkins proves himself an adept director of musical numbers and action sequences, neither of which he was previously known for. After seeing “Mufasa,” it would be easy to imagine him directing a “Mission: Impossible” movie, or a full-on, sung-through musical (Miranda’s ”Hamilton” still hasn’t received a proper, fully cinematic adaptation, by the way)."