Part 3/8:
As reviews began to trickle in, sentiment surrounding Mufasa quickly skewed negative. Critics like Allan Ing called the film “awful,” signaling a stark contrast to Disney's expectations for success. Other notable reviews describe the film as a “scattered prequel” that fails to resonate, despite its talented cast including Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter.
The Hollywood Reporter framed the narrative as Barry Jenkins struggling to salvage a project that was ambitious yet ultimately poorly executed. Critics claim that the film seems burdened by Disney's corporate strategies rather than serving its artistic potential, leading audiences to question why a prequel of this nature was even necessary.