Writer-director Barry Jenkins has made two of the finest films of the past decade – the best picture Oscar winning Moonlight, and the equally impressive If Beale Street Could Talk.  Did I think he’d end up working for Walt Disney Pictures making a CGI-heavy, animated prequel to The Lion King?  Yeah, nah.  It’s an unexpected choice for Jenkins but you can’t fault the decision.  As seen repeatedly, including last week with Margin Call’s J.C. Chandor directing Kraven the Hunter, filmmakers want to know if the grass is greener on the other side (and put “green” in their pocket as part of the process).

He’s responsible for one of the most mocked sequels of all time, Speed 2: Cruise Control, but writer Jeff Nathanson has redeemed himself with screenplays for movies including Catch Me If You Can, Rush Hour 2, and Tower Heist.  You can add Mufasa: The Lion King to his list of better works.  The film’s messages are a bit too “in your face” but it’s a simple tale of bravery which younger crowds, as the target audience, will find easy to follow.

It’s odd to open (instead of closing) the movie with a dedication to James Earl Jones, who passed away three months ago, but it’s a nice segway into the narrative.  It serves as an origin story for a character he made famous, Mufasa.  Jones distinctive voice brought the strong, powerful lion to life in the original The Lion King from 1994 and the subsequent remake in 2019.  For this prequel, the younger version of Mufasa is aptly voiced by 30-year-old English actor Aaron Pierre (Brother).  He’s up to the challenge.

The crux of the story is centred on a baby Mufasa separated from his parents in a bad storm (he’s swept downriver), being raised as an outsider by a different pack of lions, and then trying to find his way back to his home.  He is accompanied by his adoptive brother (Harrison Jr), a gifted lioness (Boone), and a wise mandrill (Rafiki).  Adventures like this need a villain and so it’s time to introduce Kiros, a power-hungry lion who will any creature not from his pride.  He’s skilfully voiced by Dane Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round), the broad-ranging actor who can create someone immensely liked… or universally loathed (as is the case in Mufasa).

There’s a “current day” subplot involving the well-known Simba (Glover), Mufasa’s son, but it’s minor and largely unnecessary.  It feels too obvious in its attempts to add comedy, and reprise the roles of Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner from the 2019 release.  The songs didn’t do much for me either.  The film is at its best when it’s a sweeping adventure – from the heroic lions opening up about their fears… through to the fight sequences illustrated in crisp, clear detail.  The visuals are excellent.

Looking to pull in a big box-office haul, Mufasa: The Lion King has a good chance of success.