4K Digital Review of Mufasa: The Lion King

 

After the success of the live-action The Lion King in 2019, another movie was more than likely. Who knew that it would be a prequel of how Mufasa became king. 

The film opens where The Lion King ended, with Simba as King. As he and Nala expect a new cub, they leave their first-born Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) with Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogan). When a huge storm hits, Rafiki (John Kani) comes to help calm Kiara. Then Rafiki begins to tell the story of how Mufasa and his adoptive brother Take (Kevin Harrison Jr.) leave their homeland when the evil Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen) arrives. Heading towards the land of mythical land of Milele, they meet new friends Sarabi (Tiffany Boone), Zazu (Preston Nyman) and a young, wise baboon. 

The story and the characters grow and develop as they discover what it means to be family. The animation has greatly improved from the 2019 The Lion King. Everything from the foliage, the fur, the scenery all look incredibly photorealistic. All help to tell the story and make you a part of this world. A fine prequel to the legacy of The Lion King.

Video:

The streaming 4K video is stunning. The level of detail has vastly improved since the live-action versions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King. The fine details of the fur, the feathers, the plants and the scenery are breathtaking. The visuals are borderline true to life. There is a depth and a weight to the characters that wasn't felt in the 2019 movie. The colors are gorgeous and the blacks and shadows bring that weight and depth alive. Another fantastic video transfer from Disney.

Audio:

The Dolby Atmos mix here is solid. The dialogue is crisp and clear. The Lin-Manuel songs are catchy and fun and really fill the surround channels. The mix really shines in the various environments. The grasslands feel vast, the snowy mountains feel cold and windy, and you can feel the rumble of the loud crashes of falling rocks and the elephant stampede. Another fine audio mix from Disney. 

Bonus Features:

Full Length Sing-Along – Sing along with your favorite songs while watching the movie with on-screen lyrics.

 

Finding Milele: The Making of Mufasa: The Lion King – Join visionary director Barry Jenkins and the cast of Mufasa: The Lion King on an epic journey to create a brand-new chapter in the story of The Lion King. Explore how the story was developed and the technology used to make Mufasa's world come to life.

 

Songs of the Savanna – Director Barry Jenkins and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda sit down to discuss the excitement and challenges of creating the music for Mufasa: The Lion King.

 

Ostrich Eggs with Timon & Pumbaa – Timon and Pumbaa reveal fun facts and some of the hidden references in the movie.

 

Outtakes – Watch the cast having fun in the recording booth.

Deleted Scenes:

• Who's the Mole Rat?
• What Do You Feel in There?
• Have Faith in Her
• Taka's Dream

 

Music Video: "I Always Wanted a Brother" – Join Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of Mufasa: The Lion King as they perform "I Always Wanted A Brother" backstage at a film shoot.

 

Song Selections:

• Milele (First Rain)
• I Always Wanted a Brother
• Bye Bye
• We Go Together
• Tell Me It’s You
• Brother Betrayed

 

Protect the Pride – Learn how Disney and The Lion Recovery Fund are working to protect the pride and conserve lions in the wild.

Conclusion:

I wasn't sure that this was a film that we needed, but I was wrong and Mufasa: The Lion King ended being a great movie. The story was engaging and the more emotive characters looked photo-real. The 4K transfer along with the Dolby Atmos audio mix are stunning. As always, I wish there were more substantial bonus features like an audio commentary. Mufasa: The Lion King deserves a place in your library. The movie is available on digital now.  

*The movie was provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment for the sole purpose of this review. The review is strictly my own opinion.*