Stunning visuals lift a timid prequel

The level of detail in Mufasa: The Lion King is astonishing

- John Lui

MUFASA: THE LION KING (PG) 118 minutes, opens on Dec 19 ★★★★☆

The story: This photorealistic origin tale of the future King of the Pride Lands begins when young Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins and, later, Aaron Pierre) finds himself alone and adrift. He encounters Taka (Theo Somolu, then Kelvin Harrison Jr), a lion prince who adopts him as a brother. Together, they join the royal family on a journey across Africa, dealing with threats such as Kiros (Mads Mikkelsen), a lion driven by ruthless ambition. They befriend the younger versions of wise mandrill Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga), lioness Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and hornbill Zazu (Preston Nyman). Mufasa's life story is recounted in the present day by Rafiki (John Kani) to Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala's (Beyoncé) daughter Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter).

This is a bomb-proof project, boosted by the tremendous goodwill The Lion King franchise has generated over decades. With such a lucrative property, Disney takes no chances.