'Mufasa: The Lion King' isn't bad. It just adds nothing to the original

Sequels to beloved films are not typically welcome, but many will flock to a theater to learn the backstory of an iconic character, myself included. "Mufasa: The Lion King" offers audiences a look into how Mufasa became king of the Pride Lands, which is conceptually interesting, but ultimately unnecessary.

Like its predecessor, 2019's "The Lion King," a beat-by-beat remake of the 1994 animated film, "Mufasa" uses advanced photorealistic technology in an attempt to bring realistic-looking creatures to the big screen.

While the landscape is visually beautiful, and these "realistic" animals can emote somewhat effectively, the film is not able to recreate the magic of the animated original.

Classic hand-drawn animated films bring big, boisterous facial expressions and personalities that photorealism is unable to effectively replicate, given its restraints. And the film suffers for it.

I didn't have a terrible time watching this film — the songs are OK, the voice acting is fine, the visuals are good and the story is somewhat interesting.

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However, it doesn't really add anything to the original story.

What is Mufasa's backstory?

After being separated from his parents due to a great flood, an orphaned Mufasa (Aaron Pierre as an adult and Braelyn and Brielle Rankins as a cub) is rescued by fellow lion cub Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr. as an adult and Theo Somolu as a cub), who is heir to a royal lion bloodline.

Rejected by Obasi (Thandiwe Newton), the king of the pride, Mufasa is only accepted by his mother and his adoptive brother Taka, and grows up knowing he will never be more than a "stray" living in the shadow of the heir to the pride: Taka.

The story is told by the shaman mandrill Rafiki (John Kani) to lion cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), with wise-cracking meerkat and warthog duo Timon and Pumbaa (Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen, respectively) annoyingly interjecting entirely too often.

Mufasa's story is familiar — a nobody who possesses natural skills and instincts who rises to every occasion and is revealed as a leader despite not believing in himself or his destiny, willing to let others overshadow him.

When Mufasa kills the son of another pride's king (Mads Mikkelsen) in self-defense, the opposing pride attacks Obasi's and he sends Taka and Mufasa away so his bloodline can live on through Taka, with Mufasa being appointed his protector.

You can't help but feel sorry for Mufasa at this point. He's lost two sets of parents and has to keep his useless adoptive brother alive and journey to Mele, a mystical place that is believed to be a paradise that many think is just a fairytale told to gullible lion cubs.

If you've guessed Mele is what becomes known as the Pride Lands that Mufasa ends up ruling over, you would be correct.

Along the way, Mufasa and Taka pick up more strays, including an orphaned Sarabi (Tiffany Boone) and her hornbill protector Zazu (Preston Nyman), along with a shunned Rafiki (Kagiso Lediga as the young version) as they all journey to a new home they're uncertain actually exists.

All the while, they're being hunted by the opposing pride's king and his followers, still seeking revenge for the death of his son.

'Mufasa: The Lion King' isn't terrible, it just doesn't add anything to the original

Director Barry Jenkins (2016 Academy Award Best Picture winner "Moonlight") brings his dynamic direction and camerawork to this film, which is visually beautiful but can't overcome the lack of its unessential backstory.

Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda ("Hamilton," "Moana" and "Encanto") will notice his signature style in the music and lyrics. However, I can't hum a single tune from this film. Meanwhile, it's been about 15-20 years since I've seen the original animated "The Lion King" and I can sing nearly every song still.

That's not to say Jenkins' storytelling isn't interesting or Miranda's songs are bad by any means, but what they fail to do is bring additional depth to these well-known characters and story. Which is kind of the point of a prequel.

Mufasa is a perfect example of a fair and progressive leader while Taka is a petty, jealous betrayer — two things we already know from the original.

As a retelling of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," "The Lion King" has it all: drama, an interesting love story, personal growth, dynamic characters and a satisfying ending — all things "Mufasa" ultimately lacks.

'Mufasa: The Lion King' 3 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Barry Jenkins.

Cast: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Blue Ivy Carter, John Kani, Mads Mikkelsen.

Rating: PG for action/violence, peril and some thematic elements.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, Dec. 20.

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Meredith G. White covers entertainment, art and culture for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. She writes the latest news about video games, television and best things to do in metro Phoenix.