Mulan is the latest Disney live-action remake to fail to live up to its massive hype and expectations. We get suckered into it every time. Just in 2019 alone, we went through the same thing with The Lion King and Aladdin. Both are animated classics – with The Lion King arguably the best animated movie of all time. But both remakes left a lot on the table. And Mulan is no different.
The basic plot remains the same from the 1998 animated hit. With the country under threat of attack, China’s emperor issues a decree calling for one man from each family to join the Imperial Army. Having no sons, Mulan’s father Zhou (Tzi Ma) honorably prepares himself to take his place in the army. In an effort to save her ailing father, Mulan takes his place and enlists in the army herself, masquerading as a man, facing death if discovered.
You can be special…if you’re already special
Mulan’s story should be one of inspiration, finding and honing your inner strength. That’s part what made the animated movie so special. Mulan doesn’t start as some great warrior, there’s nothing outwardly “special” about her. She struggles to become a formidable soldier, just like the rest of the new recruits. It’s her attitude and demeanor and wits that set her apart. So why bring this up now?
This 2020 version of Mulan takes that message and butchers it. This Mulan (Liu Yifei) is not your ordinary village girl. No, she has the power of inner chi. Mulan explains it as essentially being The Force from Star Wars. Everyone has it, but some people have more control of channeling it than others. Mulan is one of these people. So she can’t become a great soldier and fighter through hard work and perseverance. Nope, she can do that because she was born with a special power. It takes the would-be powerful message and strips it down. It’s a shame.
No songs, no problem?
While the “Mulan and her inner chi” part wasn’t (widely?) known, the absence of songs was known from the beginning. As much as I enjoy the songs from the animated film (“I’ll Make a Man Out of You” still goes HARD), I was excited that director Niki Caro and the studio were taking this live-action adaptation in a different direction. And it shouldn’t have been a problem.
Instead of having the actual songs, the script found ways to insert lines from the songs as lines of dialogue. The result for each instance was one of two things. For those unfamiliar with the songs, they were a handful of awkward and cringe-inducing line readings. And for the countless viewers who pick up on the references, it was a slap in the face about there being no songs…along with being awkward and cringe-inducing. Either include the songs or don’t. Or find a better way to incorporate them into the script.
Or, do what composer Henry Gregson-Williams did and include instrumental versions of the original songs in the score. This worked very well, as the music still fit thematically with the story, while being a nice nod to fans of the original without being over-bearing.
Oh look, another villain problem
Mulan features two villains. Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee) is a Rouran warrior, intent on invading the Imperial City for reasons that are barely addressed. It’s actually kind of incredible how weak and one-dimensional Khan is. As much flack as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (another Disney property, coincidence?) gets for their villains, Bori Khan is worthless on an entirely new level.
The secondary villain is the much more interesting Xian Lang (Gong Li), a powerful shape-shifting witch. She allies herself with Bori Khan in a misguided attempt at acceptance and the chance to live in peace. She had been persecuted against since she was a young child due to her magical abilities. There are interesting parallels to draw between Xian Lang and Mulan, which could have made a much more emotionally resonant story. Unfortunately, Xian Lang’s story is so pushed to the side, that there interactions are rushed and aren’t given the time to really hit and sit with the audience.
Visual wonder
This is where Mulan shines. From the costumes to the set pieces to (most of) the action, it’s a visual wonder to behold. That’s no surprise, as this has been a common theme among most, if not all, of the Disney live-action remakes. And Mulan brings its own unique flair, being Disney’s attempt at a wuxia film. It’s not one through and through, considering Mulan fights for the Imperial Army. But it’s pretty close.
This is especially apparent in the highly stylized and supernatural-infused fight scenes. The movie does stray a bit too far into the “unintentionally funny and corny” realm with some of the moves Mulan pulls off. But for the most part, the war and fight sequences serve as welcome and needed consistent highlights.
Bottom Line
Backed by stunning visuals, Mulan does just enough to make itself an acceptable, if nothing special, addition to the Disney collection of live-action remakes. With the stripped down characters and light script, it barely scratches the surface of the grand potential this story holds. Not worth the $30 cost for Premier Access on Disney Plus, but worth a watch when it becomes free on the service in December.
Score: 63/100
