'Mulan' gets 70% negative reviews from audiences in China

On Douban, China’s largest movie rating website, 70% of the 40,000 users who watched 'Mulan' in cinemas or by obtaining pirated copies, gave negative reviews. Photo: Reuters

After days of controversy, Walt Disney Co’s Mulan received mixed reception at its Friday debut in China, a crucial market for the US$200mil live-action remake based on a Chinese folk song.

Stinging local reviews criticising the way the movie presents Chinese culture - particularly the makeup of female characters that some found too comical or scary - have discouraged some movie goers from heading to the cinemas. The film’s trailer was enough to put off Rachel Li, a 31-year-old entrepreneur running a short-video advertising startup in Shanghai.