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By Billie Melissa
Contributing Entertainment Writer
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There is a quote from director Barry Jenkins that has lived with me for years: "My thesis is that cinema is channeled through the eyes."
Jenkins has made a name for himself by making gorgeous movies about ordinary people who, for the two hours they're on screen, are the only ones in the world whose stories matter.
His unique vision draws us into their orbit with the magic only he can muster, making his three feature efforts modern masterpieces that will be reflected upon as films that ushered in a new wave of storytellers and redefined the possibility for independent filmmakers.
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So, when the news came that Jenkins would step into the studio system, people put faith in Mufasa: The Lion King in a way they would not have otherwise.
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Jenkins has spoken at length about his own connection to The Lion King.
"The legacy means so much to so many people. It has had such a lasting impact on my life. When I was younger, I nearly wore out the VHS copy of the film, watching it every day while babysitting my nephews," he said during a featurette for the film.
Those careful fingerprints are all over Mufasa: The Lion King, a two-hour sprawling epic that tells the tale of how Mufasa came to be the king of our memories; one who is fearless, bold, and ready to do what it takes to protect the ones he loves.
However, while there are flecks of wonder only Jenkins can inspire, it is evident that he was not given by Disney the freedom someone like Greta Gerwig got from Warner Brothers to dive fully into his vision with minimal interference.
Returning to Jenkins' thesis, there are moments throughout Mufasa: The Lion King where the Academy Award-nominated director delivered his signature of connecting us to characters through their eyes, but then it was snatched in an instant.
Jenkins is the master of lingering. He knows how to stay on a face longer than is comfortable, inviting us to drink in every detail and know and love his characters in the way he does.
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In his sophomore effort, an adaptation of James Baldwin's 1974 novel If Beale Street Could Talk, Jenkins perfects what he did so well in his Best Picture-winning Moonlight: The Art of Noticing.
Every look is not merely a social nicety, but an exchange, a currency between two people who are communicating solely through glances no matter what their actions or words articulate.
It would be unfair to say Mufasa: The Lion King abandons this completely, but it is what Jenkins' fans will spend the runtime searching for and not find.
A prequel/sequel/remake/reboot is never necessary. Its worth comes from how much care is given to the making, and Jenkins cares. We feel that. But, the moments it feels like his flourishes are thriving then get dampened by corporate dullness.
Mufasa: The Lion King was always going to have unjust expectations layered on it in the way that most of these Disney "live-action" flicks don't get.
We expect them to be cash grabs, a quick billion, gone as quickly as they came, and lost among the catalog of truly great Disney films that we wandered from somewhere in the mid-'10s when the remakes became priority over originality.
However, what Jenkins does accomplish with Mufasa: The Lion King makes it almost worthwhile.
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There are some gorgeously crafted shots from James Laxton, who has been behind the camera of every one of Jenkins' features to date. That relationship carries this film because the effort and dedication to capturing place as carefully as a character is praiseworthy, and it keeps the heart and spirit of Jenkins' enchantment beating.
Lin-Manuel Miranda also showed up and out as he often does, giving us some wonderful songs that could've done with a little more dynamism around them to lift them to new heights. "Bye Bye" is a standout, as well as the bubbling, bounding "I Always Wanted A Brother" which emanates the youthful energy of "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" from Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff's 1994 film.
There are a lot of great craftsmen behind this film, it's just a shame that it all felt so contained.
So, while it's not as unrestricted and original as a filmmaker like Jenkins is capable of, Mufasa: The Lion King has enough woven in there that will serve families this holiday season, even if it may not resonate with all of Jenkins' usual audience.
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