Mufasa: The Lion King (PG)

★★★ A flawed but fitfully powerful CG prequel; Moonlight director Barry Jenkins adds currents of personality and style, but there's still a weird cognitive disconnect seeing photoreal big cats talking. ~ Radio Times.

---

Experience the epic story of how an orphan became a King.

Exploring the unlikely rise of the beloved king of the Pride Lands, Mufasa: The Lion King enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick.

Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline.

The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destiny—their bonds will be tested as they work together to evade a threatening and deadly foe. 

---

★★★★★ A dazzling prequel with superb songs, Mads Mikkelsen is a magnificent villain and Lin-Manuel Miranda delivers his finest songwriting work since Moana in Disney’s follow-up. ~ The Times.

★★★ ~ Little White Lies.

★★★ ~ Financial Times.

★★★ ~ The Observer.

★★★ ~ The Guardian.

★★★ ~ Empire.

★★★ ~ The i.