The long awaited Mufasa: The Lion King came out in theaters Dec. 24, 2024. Many were happy to see the backstory of Mufasa and become immersed with his journey to ‘Pride Rock’, while others weren’t pleased with the song choices and their placement.
Mufasa was an exceptionally well created movie even if it isn’t the best live-action Disney has produced in the past few years.
When Mufasa was first released people of all ages went to the movie theater to watch the live-action film, the second live action film in The Lion King series. As the audience got seated and got their snacks ready, they watched the movie with anticipation. The animation was well detailed, from the high snowy mountains to each piece of fur on the animals. Everything was well originated and the display was almost mesmerizing. It allowed the audience to feel as if they were there with the animals. It also explained, in simple terms for children, the cycle of life, how animals benefit from one another, and how Safari type places tend to undergo massive droughts and the effect it has on the animals. It also showed a large amount of diversity, not only in places, but in animals as well.
Whenever the songs were played, many were fascinated once again with Lin-Manuel Miranda works. The music ranged from upbeat tunes to depressing solemn beats, depending on what was happening during the moment. However, at times the lyrics were often uncomfortable and meaningless. For example the song ‘I Always Wanted a Brother,’ says “No other animal will break our pride, break our pride/ And my brother/ My Brother/ Our prey may run away, but they can’t hide./ Watch your hide.” The lyrics were repetitive throughout the whole song and at times a bit overwhelming due to the consent change in the rhythm. The notes and lyrics would randomly get louder when singing, “My brother.” Another example was the song ‘Bye Bye,’ which also included some questionable lyrics such as “I run my pride/ You run and hide/ ‘Cause I’m gonna be the last thing you see/ Before you go, bye bye/ There you go, bye bye.” These lyrics were a bit too threatening for the younger audiences, since it implied that the head lion was going to murder the other lions in harsh indescribable ways. Even though children have seen the death of Scar in The Lion King it was relatively fast and simple. These lyrics imply that the lions were going to be more violent and if the threats they made were true, the scene would have been traumatizing for children. Luckily, the writers strayed away from showcasing the true intentions of those specific lions. Despite those lyrics, the songs were well-made and convey a series of emotions.
Additionally, the movie was irrelevant to the The Lion King series. It had no particular meaning, and was another way of Disney gaining popularity by expanding the franchise. The musical aspect wasn’t the best, compared to previous Disney songs. At times the songs came unannounced and weren’t necessarily important to the plot. The movie was also rushed, due to how fast paced the movie was.
Nevertheless, the action packed movie was definitely worth watching. At times the songs were a bit uncomfortable and forced, but it was still able to fit with how children perceive the world. It is a movie made for all ages, specifically children, so it makes sense that the lyrics would be changed in order to become catchy for younger viewers. It also brings back Disney’s goal of making every movie something fun to watch while discussing more important topics in disguise.
The movie released from Disney, Mufasa: The Lion King, isn’t necessarily the best movie they have ever created, but it did serve its purpose of becoming a fun, thrilling movie about the oldest lion who founded ‘Pride Rock.’
