Tag: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

MUFASA: THE LION KING – Review

With Christmas less than a week away, the “Mouse House” has decided to send another family-friendly flick into the multiplexes to share space with its recent “box-office behemoth” MOANA 2 (which is still in the number one spot). Oh, and this is somewhat of a sequel, too. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe made a huge cinematic splash, many studios wanted to create their own versions of a “brand”. Naturally Warner Brothers had their DC Comics line (which is getting a big “re-do”) and Universal keeps attempting a “Dark Universe’ based on those classic monsters (THE WOLF MAN is on the way next year). And though Marvel is a partner, Disney itself is “getting into the act” with their legacy of classic animated tales, the twist being that they’re being remade in “live-action”. This new film is unique in that it is “technically” an animated film with pixels replacing the pencils involved with 2-D “hand drawn” films. And, as I mentioned earlier, this is the first sequel. to one of these remakes. Ah, but it’s actually more of a prequel, since its main focus is the “origin” story of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

This film begins a few years after the finale of THE LION KING, as we return to the denizens of Pride Rock. Nala (voice of Beyonce Knowles-Carter) has embarked on a “sabbatical” in the deep woods leaving her daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter) with Papa Simba (Donald Glover). But now it’s time for him to join her so he enlists three “babysitters”: Pumbaa the warthog (Seth Rogan), Timon the meerkat (Billy Eichner), and the shamen-mandrill Rafika (John Kani). Kiara is frightened by the approaching thunderstorm, so Rafika decides to calm her by telling the story of her grandfather, Mufasa. His blissful life as a royal cub is shattered by a flood that separates him from his adored parents. Mufasa is swept far away by a swift stream until another cub, Taka, pulls him onto the shore. The two return to Taka’s pride, where their king, Obasi (Lennie James) shuns him and pushes him toward the females, led by his mate Eshe (Thandiwe Newton). Luckily she is a nurturer and encourages Mufasa’s “gifts”. The years pass, and teenaged Mufusa (Aaron Pierre) and Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) practice their hunting skills and encounter a pride of white lions known as “The Outsiders” ruled by the cruel and avaricious King Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen). When they attack Obasi’s pride, the two teens begin a desperate journey to find the bountiful land known as M’Leilei. Along the way, Mufasa and Taka are joined by a young lioness named Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her scout/servant, the hornbill Zasu (Preston Nyman). And they luckily run into their guide, the younger Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), but can his mystical skills protect them as Kiros and his pack trails them in order to enact his vengeance? Friendships are tested and changed for good during the long hard trek.

Though it’s been five years since the remake (the original just turned thirty), those returning voice actors slip right back into their roles as though they were in the recording studio yesterday. Especially potent is the comic chemistry between Eichner and Rogan who riff like a classic vaudeville comedy team, with Pumbaa a bit more of a lunkhead who beams with pride about his “fragrance” while Timon is the motor-mouthed wiseguy who delights in breaking (not the wind like his BFF) the “fourth wall”. Spin-off, please. In her acting debut, Miss Carter projects a sweet energetic innocence as the future queen. Both Kani and Lediga give Rafiki the proper gravitas and magical mentoring. Pierre is an engaging lead who goes from confusion to confidence as the king-to-be, while Harrison relates the pressure of his lineage while slowly succumbing to very human emotional faults. Boone is a spunky heroine who can dive into the action right alongside the fellas. James is a great blustering and conniving king as Obasi. The film’s best asset might be the compelling Mikkelsen who accentuates each threat with a sneering snarl making Kiro a fearsome villain. He’s pure silky menace.

Aside from the film’s unique structure as a sequel/prequel, it’s got another unusual filmmaker for an animated film in the director’s chair. It’s helmed by the acclaimed crafter of live-action dramas (MOONLIGHT, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK), Barry Jenkins, who is working from the screenplay by Jeff Nathanson (based on the 1994 film). He gives the story an added emotional heft, slowly zooming in during essential conversations and confrontations. Of the latter, he brings lots of excitement to the deadly encounters, from hungry crocs to the revenge-obsessed Outsiders. The African environments are stunning, going from arid plains to snowy mountains and particularly the utopia of M’Leilei with its lush vegetation. But despite the advancements in CGI, the animals (though expertly rendered) just can’t convey the bravada acting and emoting of those hand-drawn icons of that 90s classic. Though they’re caricatures the gestures and expressions tell us so much more than these computer creations. It helps that the coloring and voices make the main characters here more distinct, along with the voices, but I can still mix up the principals. Wisely, the narrative cuts back to the present, to provide some welcome comic asides from T & P, but the pace seems to drag before the big reveals of the third act (key settings and props are introduced). Perhaps another “pass” at the script was needed to trim a few minutes. Still, it’s a well-crafted extension of the story rather than a quick “cash grab” like the straight-to-home video follow-ups back in the VHS “glory days”. A few more memorable songs might have helped since none of the new tunes comes close to the stellar work of Elton John and Tim Rice. But kids that are “crazy about critters” will be happy to return to the exotic “pride lands” as they explore the legend of MUFASA: THE LION KING.

2.5 Out of 4

MUFASA: THE LION KING is now playing in theatres everywhere

Jon Favreau’s THE LION KING Cast Features Beyonce, Alfre Woodard, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen and John Oliver

The all-star lineup for director Jon Favreau’s new take on Disney’s 1994 classic animated film THE LION KING includes stars from the film, TV, theater and music arenas. Featuring pioneering filmmaking techniques, the film welcomes back to the big screen iconic characters that audiences have long treasured—but in a whole new way.

From Disney Live Action, THE LION KING is slated for U.S. theaters on July 19, 2019.

“It is a director’s dream to assemble a talented team like this to bring this classic story to life,” said Favreau.

Lions rule the African savanna in THE LION KING which welcomes Donald Glover (“Atlanta,” “Solo: A Star Wars Story”) as future king Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter (“Dreamgirls,” “Lemonade” visual album) as Simba’s friend-turned-love interest Nala, and James Earl Jones (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Field of Dreams”) as Simba’s wise and loving father, Mufasa, reprising his iconic performance from Disney’s 1994 animated classic. Chiwetel Ejiofor (“Twelve Years a Slave,” Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange”) was called on to portray Simba’s villainous uncle Scar, and Alfre Woodard (“Juanita,” Marvel’s “Luke Cage”) portrays Simba’s no-nonsense mother, Sarabi. JD McCrary (OWN’s “Tyler Perry’s The Paynes,” Apple’s “Vital Signs”) fills the shoes of Young Simba, a confident cub who can’t wait to be king, and Shahadi Wright Joseph (NBC’s “Hairspray Live,” Broadway’s “The Lion King”) brings tough cub Young Nala to life.

Every kingdom comes with a trustworthy advisor or two. John Kani (“Coriolanus,” Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Civil War”) was cast as the wise baboon Rafiki, and John Oliver (HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”) was tapped as hornbill Zazu, Mufasa’s loyal confidant. When Simba goes into exile, he relies on two newfound friends—Seth Rogen (“Sausage Party,” “Neighbors”) lends his comedic chops to naïve warthog Pumbaa, and Billy Eichner (“Billy on the Street,” FX’s “American Horror Story”) joins the cast as know-it-all meerkat Timon.

While most of the animals in the kingdom respect the king, the hyenas have other plans. Florence Kasumba (NBC’s “Emerald City,” Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther”) portrays Shenzi, Eric André (Adult Swim’s “The Eric André Show,” FXX’s “Man Seeking Woman”) is Azizi, and Keegan-Michael Key (“Predator,” Netflix’s “Friends from College”) plays Kamari.

THE LION KING is directed by Favreau (“The Jungle Book,” Marvel Studios’ “Iron Man”) and produced by Favreau, Jeffrey Silver (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Edge of Tomorrow”) and Karen Gilchrist (“The Jungle Book,” “Chef”). Jeff Nathanson (“Catch Me If You Can,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”) penned the screenplay based on the 1994 screenplay by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton. Tom Peitzman (co-producer “Kong: Skull Island,” “Alice in Wonderland”) and Thomas Schumacher (“The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast”) are executive producers, and John Bartnicki (“The Jungle Book,” “Chef”) is co-producer.

The award-winning team of artists tapped to bring the African savanna and its animal inhabitants to life include visual effects supervisor Rob Legato, who conceived the virtual production on “Avatar,” won Academy Awards® for his work on “The Jungle Book,” “Hugo” and “Titanic,” and was nominated for an Oscar® for his work on “Apollo 13.”

The film’s animation supervisor is Oscar®-winner Andrew R. Jones (“The Jungle Book,” “Avatar,” “World War Z”). VFX supervisor is Adam Valdez (“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”), who won an Oscar for his work on “The Jungle Book.” Five-time Oscar nominee Caleb Deschanel, ASC, (“Jack Reacher,” “The Patriot”), is director of photography, and James Chinlund (“War for the Planet of the Apes,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”) serves as the production designer. Oscar winner Ben Grossman (“Alice in Wonderland,” “Hugo,” “Star Trek into Darkness”) is virtual production supervisor, and Mark Livolsi, ACE, (“The Jungle Book,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “The Blind Side”) and Adam Gerstel (“Transformers: The Last Knight,” “The Jungle Book”) are editors. Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk,” “Hidden Figures”), who won an Oscar for his score for the animated classic, will score the adventure.

From Disney Live Action, director Jon Favreau’s all-new THE LION KING journeys to the African savanna where a future king is born. Simba idolizes his father, King Mufasa, and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub’s arrival. Scar, Mufasa’s brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba’s exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his. The all-star cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter as Nala, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Billy Eichner as Timon and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa. Utilizing pioneering filmmaking techniques to bring treasured characters to life in a whole new way, THE LION KING roars into theaters on July 19, 2019.