Mufasa: The Lion King

...is fine – good, even – and overcomes all odds to justify its own existence.

At the core of Mufasa: The Lion King is a fittingly Shakespearean drama about siblings being torn apart by the notion of power as a birthright, with one brother being a natural leader and the other propped up by entitlement...

This origin story stands alone by pitting familiar characters against new villains, resulting in a photorealistic film that’s driven as much by its storytelling as by its technology.

...if the intention was to distract younger audience members with some inoffensive and well-meaning adventure, the movie delivers.

...Jenkins makes resonant work of other themes, from a subtext of tyranny vs unity to the ideas of home and heritage that underpin the mystical climax.