#mulan2020

*deep long sigh*

I just finished the live action Mulan, and I have to say...it was pretty good. Much better than I’d heard. The animated version is my favorite Disney film of all time, so of course I’m going to say the original was better. That said, if you consider this another movie about the Mulan legend rather than a remake of the cartoon, then it’s a perfectly decent film. 

If you’re stuck on whether it’s worth buying, I’ve included my non-spoiler thoughts below:

The Good

There is a lot more action, and the fighting choreography is enjoyable to watch.

Shan Yu actually has a motive now? It’s not a deep backstory, but it’s better than nothing.

They got rid of the cross-dressing jokes.

Splitting Li Shang’s character into two roles was the right choice. Commander Tung takes over the officer role without any squicky power balance issues, and Honghui is a great love interest who honestly has more organic chemistry with Mulan than Li Shang ever did. #sorrynotsorry

The Bad

The villains are dressed like leftovers from the Aladdin set. I get why Disney didn’t want to demonize Mongol culture again, but I don’t think dressing them up like Arabian fighters is the right solution, especially considering what’s happening with Muslims in China right now.

The camera did this fish-eye lens thing whenever Mulan used chi, and it didn’t look nearly as good as the filmmakers thought it did. 

Sometimes the CGI birds look like bats. 

NO MUSHU.

The WTF

I swear scarves injured more people than spears did in this movie.

People will either love or hate the “witch.” Personally, I think she’s a great foil for Mulan, but I understand why so many people find her addition jarring.

This movie was dazzling, and spectacular in terms of a cinematic piece. Plot? Heavily lacking, basic, and lack of in-depth love for its characters. It didn’t bring the honour I hope it would to this timeless classic! Also please ignore the fact that there is lipstick on my teeth!!