MUFASA REVIEW
Their comes a time in every humans life where they see a movie that they know will remarkably change their outlook on life forever. Not just on what they know, but what they prepare to learn moving forward. Before Dec 30th 2024. I had 4 movies that I declared of this caliber. Only 4. And now that 4 has become 5. Mufasa takes everything the original Lion King paced itself on and gave it rocket fuel to enter the viewers soul into this nostalgic space soup that truly is inspiring. Lion King the behemoth of our childhood spent 30 years bringing us to tears. And all along it didnt even have it's skeleton yet. This movie adds it's foundation and it's like watching the ending to a book you began reading at age 5. Just a child sitting next to a CRT, oatmeal on his face. Watching these films to become a better specimen of social normality. From the first step Kiara takes to her little roar towards the end... this movie outpaces, out entertains and for the love of all, rips heart strings like golden strings in cupids Harp. From front to back. From port to starboard. It is PERFECTION.
The first thing I noticed was that Mufasa as a movie brings a more deeper look into the animal side of animals. From someone who genuinely loves Elephants, Monkeys and Lions. It gets more in tune with what a lion is, the way they communicate. The scents, the vision, the oneness with their own destiny. In other animal movies, it feels as though the animal has a certain human destiny. A human belonging to the earth. With this it feels natural. It feels so wildly wild that I feel the Savannah. I feel pride rock.
The movie tells tales of betrayal, not belonging, and how that not belonging plants a long festering seed of self doubt that if left unchecked can consume one's soul. It does this in a shakesperean sonnet level of profoud poetry.
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It has 2 scores that rival that of the original. "Tell me its you" and "bye bye" and one is a soliloquy of love being unable to hide in the shadows. A roaring monument of what is Mufasa and Sarabi. It's the modern age can you feel the love tonight. But while I feel that song is iconic. This one hits more adult strides. It doesn't just say whats happening, it paints the narrative. It lets you deduce its worth.
It shows the journey of so many walks. And the ridiculously shocking plot twist of Mufasas brothers fall from grace. It shows that blood can never supercede familial bonds made with those we love most and it somehow does all this. ALL THAT!!! Without neglecting Pumba and Timon's comedy. Rafiki's wisdom. Or newcomers like Simba and Kiara. It blends gloriously tear jerking pain, betrayal, plot twists and backstory with the beauty of mother nature and has evolved what I believe an animal movie can be. I feel shame to even have poluted a world with such wonder. I thank god for the sheer privilege of existing and seeing this film.
A film like this comes maybe 10 times a lifetime. It's not just recency bias. I never call movies the best of all time unless they hit me somewhere special.
You can see the exact moment where the glow leaves a childs eyes, as the film shows them the yang to their ever domineering ying. And where a parent feels 15 again, when the gravity left earth as Issac Newton ponders reincarnation. And it happens with the wonderfuly written dark descent of mufasa's brother. The way you relate to your fallen hero, who somehow lost his destiny along the way. But feels resentment at the same time. As if it was actually your brother. Your pride. Your mane. Your kingdom. It's this dance best left without lyrics. No review can guide you to this conclusion. No critic can attest to this movie far enough. Mufasa is the crown jewel of cinema this year. Mufasa gives the lion king franchise it's background check. It's DNA. It's fingerprint to touch our lives. It's like a daffodil in hell, blowing upon it to wish for the rain. To see the kings become disciples. And that anguish leading to hate. Rafiki as a sort of Charmin of exploration into the unknown. It makes even the first movie better just by existing.
To put it shortly. Mufasa is 100x better than I could have ever dreamed. The scores were pretty, the voices were infectious, comedy clean, focus sincere and action is wildly eccentric. But over the story it tells the viewer, of keeping distain in check and not letting your given destiny be overpowered by the one instilled in you by false role models is a golden map of the embodiment of human soul in animal form.
This movie is the rising of the roman empire from ash, it's the ying and yang having a square dance, it's Thriller Jacket in its original packing with the tags still attatched, the first and last zip of a new backpack on the first day of school and the last day of graduation. A harrowing reminder that we have grown, but a sweet reflection of how far we have come in that growth. I am at loss for words and somehow cant stop talking about the glory that is....
MUFASA.
100/100
