‘The Lion King’ prequel - that’s also a sequel. And still CGI.

Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor “Mufasa: The Lion King” came out Dec. 20, 2024. It is a prequel to “The Lion King,” and it follows the story of how Mufasa became king of the Pridelands. The movie stars Aaron Pierre as Mufasa, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka - better known as Scar - and Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara. Yes, the cub Simba and Nala have after defeating Scar. The story actually starts after “The Lion King,” making the movie sort of a sequel as well. Nala is about to give birth to her second cub, so she and Simba leave Pride Rock for a while. Their daughter, Kiara, is left in the care of Timon and Pumbaa. After a brief attempt to retell Scar’s defeat - or at least a version of it where Timon and Pumbaa defeat Scar - Rafiki joins them. To keep Kiara’s mind off of the storm outside, Rafiki shares the story of a brave lion - Mufasa. Mufasa wasn’t born to royalty - he and his parents were common lions. On their way to Milele, a thriving land of myth, a flash flood separates them. Young Mufasa barely survives, hanging onto a piece of wood. When crocodiles try to eat him, another lion cub - Prince Taka - finds and rescues him. King Obasi, Taka’s father, threatens to kill Mufasa, but agrees to let his fate be decided by a race between Mufasa and Taka. Taka lets Mufasa win, and the two become brothers over time. Years later, the Outsiders - a pride of lions led by Kiros - attack. Mufasa kills Kiros’ son in the battle. Knowing that another fight - one they can’t hope to win - is imminent, Obasi orders Taka to flee, and for Mufasa to protect him. Along the way to Milele, Mufasa and Taka join Princess Sarabi, her scout Zazu, and Rafiki. The group is hunted down by the Outsiders as they search for a mythical land, all while a love triangle between the lions takes root. Throughout the story Timon and Pumbaa interrupt to make side comments. Their inclusion in this movie at all feels forced, as if the writers had to include the funny characters from the original. This film is photorealistically animated - the same way that “The Lion King” remake in 2019 was. It looks live-action-esque, but obviously the animals had to be CGI. The 2019 remake was already seen as more lifeless than the original, so the choice to make a prequel to that version is definitely… a choice. In comparison to the 2019 remake, the characters do have more visible emotion though, even if it’s only somewhat. But in comparison to any of the traditionally animated movies, they still seem lifeless. Even the movie posters - especially the one with Mufasa and the others just standing there emotionless - are bland. Also, that particular poster has almost every character, except Sarabi. How did Zazu get on there and not her? Mufasa and Taka were difficult to tell apart, except when either one was talking. This was particularly difficult in fight scenes. They have slightly different fur colors, but one CGI male lion with an average-sized mane looks similar to another. In a movie focused primarily on different packs of lions fighting, this issue could’ve been much worse. But the Outsiders are distinct from the others because their fur is much whiter, thankfully avoiding that confusion. This white fur could also be why they were cast out of their original prides. The music is OK. There are some songs, but they’re not as catchy or memorable as the songs in “The Lion King,” except for maybe “I Always Wanted A Brother.” I doubt most fans watched the Disney Junior show “The Lion Guard,” but it technically follows the original movies. This movie, however, completely ignores the lore it tried to set up, with the only nod to it being Kiara getting a little sibling. The story tries to show Taka’s change from an ordinary - if a little self-absorbed and cowardly - prince to the Scar we know from “The Lion King,” while also making sure he maintains some sort of stable relationship with Mufasa, since he’s living with them on Pride Rock in the future. This results in a confusing character arc that feels very forced. In fact, a lot about the story felt forced. Character arcs, plot lines, the entire ending - it’s passable but not the best. But that is to be expected with any direct prequel - they can’t stray too far from the original, but also need their own story. This film does a good enough job with what it had but could’ve done better on several fronts. Overall, “Mufasa: The Lion King” felt like they were forcing a new story out of a franchise that already has several stories available. It’s here to make money, and it’ll probably do that just fine. But it’s just not that great. And please, stop with the realistic yet lifeless animals. Rating: D- More of a bother than a brother