The Versus matchup in store today has two musical prequels to beloved family classics going head to head. Both these films also serve as origin stories for why the villains became who they are in the films we know them best by. We have Disney's newly released "Mufusa: The Lion King", the prequel to the live-action remake of the 1994 animated original, against "Wicked" starring Ariana Grande, set before the events of "The Wizard of Oz" took place. The usual categories apply for these two. You know the drill.
Round 1) Presentation
Much like Glinda's pink bubble that she uses to transport anywhere in Oz, it was crystal clear going in which one would come out on top. The places we visit within "Wicked" and Oz feel far more real as if you could actually go there. The production value is very lively and filled with detail. Many lavish sets for the musical numbers that ensue. I loved one musical number that took place in a library and the revolving bookcases that basically look like the biggest hamster wheels that anyone's ever seen. That's a compliment, of course.
The costume design, namely the outfits for Grande's Glinda, are true to the characters that inhabit them. You also have Cynthia Ervio with her green makeup as Elphaba, the character who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch. Even with CG bound to be part of the equation, "Wicked" is pretty well polished with its presentation quality. I must confess before we go any further that I haven't seen the 2019 remake of "The Lion King", of which "Mufasa" is a prequel for. I'm well acquainted with the 1994 original. So again, no point in seeing the 2019 remake.
"Mufasa" maintains the photo realism of its predecessor, and the result is somewhat of a mixed bag. For CGI, the lions themselves have plenty of detail and they do have facial expressions that are an improvement from what came before. But the presentation is stuck in an uncanny valley of its own. There are many awkward close-ups of the animals looking directly at the camera as if the film was made with 3D in mind. The bigger problem with the visuals though comes whenever any confrontation between more than one lion ensues.
I kid you not, fellow readers, when I say that it was difficult to keep track of which lion was which in any given fight. Even with the slight differences among them, they all kind of blended together and I couldn't tell them apart to save my hide. To be frank, that's a huge visual flaw, and when you consider that this is a kid's film, that's the last thing that should be said. Children should be able to follow along as opposed to being lost. It's because of this reasoning that "Wicked" being the winner of this round is practically a no-brainer.
Round 1 Winner) Wicked
Round 2) Audio
Now this round here is set to be interesting. In "Mufasa", whenever there's no dialogue or singing and it's just the lions roaring, growling, purring, etc., that's when the audio is at its best. That and recycling the original 1994 score. When there's singing or speaking, it's a bit jarring here. The voice cast is inconsistent all around. Some voiceovers like John Kani as Rafiki fit just fine here. Others feel monotone, bland, and overall dissimilar to the characters they're representing. Who knew the voices of Mufasa and Scar would sound so off?
A similar sentiment is in store in regards to Lin-Manuel Miranda's original soundtrack and songs. The quality of the music is best summed up with our introduction to the villain Kiros (Mads Mikkelson) via the song "Bye Bye". I knew this film was in trouble when a formidable white lion awkwardly sings this baffling villain song with middling effort. Miranda's lackluster tunes are made worse by being paired with cringey visuals of lions simply on the prowl awkwardly lip-syncing these underwhelming vocals. To put it kindly, it needs more quiet moments.
I've never seen the original Broadway show of which "Wicked" is adapting. So this film served as my official introduction to the popular phenomenon. And after having been exposed to the film's soundtrack, I can confidently say the songs match my overall feelings of the film. The soundtrack courtesy of Stephen Schwartz is pretty good in its own right. I'd say about two of the songs are certified standouts, while the rest are simply good. Nothing made me roll my eyes like the audio from "Mufasa" did. So "Wicked" automatically wins again here.
Round 2 Winner) Wicked
Round 3) Content
Based on how the matchup is going, there won't be any surprises with this category for sure. For I reluctantly went into "Mufasa: The Lion King" with a more open mind in comparison to the lazy shot-for-shot 2019 predecessor. With all the works Disney has down the pipeline, namely sequels and remakes, the least I could do was give a more "original" story a chance. But let's not beat it around the bush, since "Mufasa" is surprisingly dumb. Forget for a moment that our main origin story is constantly interrupted by segments in present day.
The only reason those scenes with Timon, Pumbaa and Kiara exist is to keep young viewers watching since they're otherwise pointless and tiresome. I had to check the Internet to see if there was snow in Africa, because there's something about seeing lions climb snowy mountains at one point in the film that didn't feel correct in my mind. The logic of this narrative and its characters are such that a character that arrives in a new area they've never been before for a minute or two is suddenly trustworthy to all of the land's inhabitants.
The climax of "Mufasa" had such stupid and unintentionally laughable logic behind the plot points that unfold that I laughed at this film for all the wrong unintended reasons. If you take these gaping plotholes out of the equation though, there's more story flaws to contend with. I wasn't that impressed with the new factions of lions introduced in this story. I have no idea why they're so close-minded, what their motivations are, and I'm unable to make a decision on what I'm supposed to feel with what's being presented to us.
With "Wicked" on the other hand, the back story of the Wicked Witch's upbringing is made clear from the start. We see how her birth was unplanned, her biological father keeps shunning her in favor of her disabled sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), and how no one else gives her a chance on account of her skin color. Cinephiles like myself are also treated to a remarkable revelation in regards to Ariana Grande: she's actually a very good actress. We know Grande is known for her singing as showcased here with the "Popular" musical number.
The most notable discovery is that Grande is a fun screen presence, selling Glinda's two-faced nature to her behavior towards Elphaba. There's a high school mean girl mentality to her portrayal of Glinda that shows different layers to this character. We see sweetness, both artificial and genuine, in her, but we witness how full of herself she can get in trying to advance her status with Oz's higher-ups. I also commend the small Easter eggs towards the future events we'll see in the Oz universe. Who do you think the Wicked Witch of the East will be?
I have my guess still intact, as we'll have to wait until Part 2 comes out next year. That's right. To the surprise of some viewers, this film is actually Part 1 of 2 films devoted to adapting this play. I personally have a bone to pick with this approach. As much as fleshing out a story further will always be appreciated, I must confess that I miss the good old days when we had a few 3+ hour cinematic events to look forward to. Not two films meant to count as one, as you so often see nowadays with the "Dune" films and "Avengers" Infinity saga.
In this day and age when people are glued to binging shows via streaming and video games are offering lengthy cinematic experiences at home, I wish Hollywood would bring back lengthier productions. If a film like "The Sound of Music" were made today for example, studios would no doubt split it into two parts instead of keeping it to one for pure financial gains. I hope there are still filmmakers out there who recognize the value of a singular and satisfying film epic enough to boldly bring it back. It's wishful thinking I know.
But if Part 2 suffers in comparison to what we see here, just take my words for what they're worth. Cliffhanger aside, there's still plenty of great elements to be found within "Wicked". The passive-aggressive nature between our two leads. A potent subplot involving a talking goat (voiced by Peter Dinklage) that helps explain Elphaba's eventual progression with her arc. I'm also interested to see where Nessarose's story goes as well and if she'll be loyal to Elphaba or forge a new path altogether. There's more to look forward to with "Wicked".
"Mufasa: The Lion King" conversely is set to be quickly forgotten about as soon as this year is through. There isn't enough behind Mufasa and Scar's adoptive brotherhood here to justify the film's existence. Yes, you see what causes their relationship to go down the path that it did. But you've seen all of this before and done in a far more satisfying way. Once again, there's no real contest to be had here since "Wicked" was actually something audiences wanted. Who asked for more "Lion King" follow-ups on the other hand? I didn’t think so.
Round 3 Winner) Wicked
Final Verdict: Mufasa: The Lion King: 5/10
Wicked: 7.5/10
WINNER: WICKED
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