Let's get down to business. Disney’s live-action remakes of its classic animation movies have been somewhat hit and miss over the years. For every Lion King, there has been a Dumbo, and though shot for shot remakes like Aladdin and Beauty And The Beast made good money, it’s debatable whether they were actually better than the original animated features.
So, on to Mulan, which has suffered delay after delay thanks to the pandemic, and is finally out in cinemas today. Much has been said about how the songs from the original 1998 animated feature have been omitted, and how the more child-friendly and comedic elements like Mushu the wise-cracking dragon have been taken out.
But even with those changes, this is still very much an adaptation of the 1998 film rather than actual Chinese folklore Ballad of Mulan, so you pretty much know the story. Hua Mulan (Liu Yifei) is a slightly rebellious daughter of war hero Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma), who is resigned to a life of filial piety in which the only way a daughter can bring honour to her family is to find a good husband.
When the Emperor of China (Jet Li) issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders led by Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee), Mulan decides to take her father’s place in the army by masquerading as a man named Hua Jun.
“Once you find your centre, you are sure to win, ” goes one of the songs in the animated feature. And while the songs don’t exist in their original form (they are instead used in the score), there is no doubt that director Niki Caro successfully found the centre of her film – her star, Liu Yifei.
Liu as the titular hero is a revelation. She is tranquil as a forest on the outside, but there is a fire within her that is essential to her character’s empowering journey from rebellious but filial daughter to a dynasty-saving warrior.. She handles both the action sequences and dramatic moments equally well, and even handles the awkwardness of being the only woman in a camp of men with some comedic flair.
The movie may struggle a bit with Mulan's transition from hesitant imposter to war hero, but Liu pulls it off admirably. In short, she IS Mulan.
She isn’t the only who shines though. Tzi Ma is a calm but determined presence as Mulan’s father, and Donnie Yen is absolutely commanding as the, er, commanding officer of Mulan’s Fifth Battalion (he even gets to show off his moves quite a bit, as he tries to make men out of his charges).
As for the villains, Jason Scott Lee’s Bori Khan is almost a mirror image of the animated feature’s Shan Yu – he looks menacing and is a pretty impressive fighter, but serves little purpose other than to give the story an antagonist and someone for Mulan to save the emperor from.
Oh, and remember the hawk Shan Yu goes around with? Well here, the bird is actually a shapeshifting sorceress named Xian Lang who is bound to serve Bori Khan. Gong Li does what she can, adding a more sympathetic side to her performance, but still can’t stop the character from feeling like a campy and slightly jarring addition to the story.
The general weakness of the villains is one of several flaws in this otherwise entertaining remake, though that has been something many of Disney’s live-action movies have struggled with.
And while the movie has elements of wuxia and even Hong Kong action films (there’s even a fight on some bamboo scaffolding), there is a general feeling that it’s an Asian film made from a Western point of view, and could have done with a more Asian perspective.
Don’t get me wrong though, you can tell that a lot of effort has been put into getting the cultural aspects of the films right, something which the animated feature sort of played fast and loose with.
For instance, in the original, Mulan gives the Emperor a big hug after saving China, but there is no such disrespect here, as the Emperor is not only afforded the right amount of dignity that befits an emperor, but is given a lot more to do as well (Hey, you don’t hire a martial arts superstar like Jet Li just to sit on a throne).
Sure, there are no songs and no talking dragon, but many of the iconic scenes remain, and fans will be thrilled to see (and hear) all the Easter eggs and references to the animated film (watch out for a great cameo right at the end).
Personally, I am happy that Caro decided to go with her own interpretation of Mulan rather than make another shot-for-shot remake of the animated film. It allows for a new, upgraded take on the story, but is still familiar enough for fans of the original to enjoy. And because of that, Mulan deserves to be ranked as one of the best Disney live-action remakes so far.
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Summary:
A brave and true reflection of the original
