‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Divides Critics With Visuals, Music, and Storytelling

Barry Jenkins’ prequel to Disney’s 2019 remake garners mixed reviews, with praise for performances but criticism of animation and tonal inconsistencies.

• Critics have given 'Mufasa: The Lion King' a 60% score on Rotten Tomatoes, highlighting a blend of strong performances and notable shortcomings.
• Barry Jenkins’ direction brings emotional depth, but some reviewers feel his vision is constrained by Disney’s corporate demands.
• The photorealistic animation is an improvement over the 2019 remake but still struggles with expressive character visuals, leaving some moments emotionally flat.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original songs are described as competent but largely forgettable compared to the iconic 1994 soundtrack.
• The comedic relief from Timon and Pumbaa has been criticized for disrupting the narrative flow of Mufasa’s origin story.

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