‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ Review: Barry Jenkins Turns Origin Story Into Rousing, If Not Regal, Action-Adventure Buddy Movie

deadline.com:

The first thing you see on screen in Mufasa: The Lion King, Disney‘s latest attemptto squeeze another billion or so out of its gift that keeps on giving on stage and screen, is a dedication to the late, great James Earl Jones, who of course provided the regal voice of Mufasa in both the classic 1994 animated film, and its 2019 live-action remake.

It is also a reminder that it would be near impossible to try to replace the presence of Jones, and smartly — especially if you are hellbent on adding to the franchise — director Barry Jenkins and screenwriter Jeff Nathanson have not tried to do that.

Instead what we have is an origin tale, the harrowing journey of a seemingly orphaned cub Mufasa (Braelyn Rankins voicing the young version) trying to survive the elements on his own after being separated from his parents due to a sudden raging river taking him on top of, and below, dangerous currents miles and miles away.

This take has as much in common with the story arc of The Lion King, as it does with Wicked. Two friends find each other even though their life paths are headed in opposite directions — one for good, the other for bad — but the story we are seeing is what sent them in such different places.