Mulan (2020)

 

            “Mulan”, the live-action version, spent ten years in developmental hell before it got the green light to shoot.  Disney was well-aware of the dangers of “whitewashing”, so only Chinese actors were cast.  Unfortunately, the first two choices for director turned down the project, so a white female was chosen.  This was controversial, of course.  Niki Caro ended up helming the most expensive movie ever directed by a female.  The movie cost $200 million, but made only $70 million.  Part of its failure was due to the pandemic preventing good box office.  The film was nominated for Oscars for Costume Design and Visual Effects.

            Mulan (Yifei Liu) is an amazing, but misunderstood girl.  She “doesn’t know her place in Chinese society”.  She is reaching marriage-age much to the consternation of the village match-maker.  Marriage gets put on the back-burner when the Rouran come a-raiding.  The Rouran are a tribal confederation that loved to raid China, specifically the Silk Road.  We know they are evil because they wear black.  Their leader is Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee), your typical Disney villain.  He is assisted by a witch who can shape-shift.  Because of  the threat, the Emperor (Jet Li) orders conscription to create a large army.  Each family must provide a male.  This means Mulan’s crippled father will have to go.  Mulan steals her father’s armor and sword, disguises herself as a man, and goes in his place.  Under the training by Commander Tung (Donnie Yen), she goes from “fights like a girl” to warrior very quickly.  The army marches to a fortress which is attacked by the Rouran.  Although greatly outnumbered and facing a cavalry army, they sortie out.  (You didn’t expect Disney to be strong on tactics, did you?)  This results in a huge melee.  Mulan duels with the witch and then kicks ass on the battlefield.  The ingrates kick her out of the army when her identity is revealed, but she’ll be back.

            Disney had a huge hit with the live version of “Beauty and the Beast” and tried to replicate the success with the live “Mulan”.  Unlike Beauty, which kept the music, “Mulan” (2020) is not a musical.  There is no singing, but some of the songs from the animated version are given instrumental shout-outs.  The score is excellent and thank goodness the actors don’t break into song.  Or crack jokes.  The movie is serious, with little humor.  There is not even a comic relief character.  Or a funny animal sidekick.  Some of the characters are adjusted.  Mulan does not fall in love with her commander.  Because of the MeToo movement, it was deemed unacceptable that this relationship between a powerful male and a vulnerable female be depicted.  Instead, Mulan is connected to a fellow recruit named Chen Honghui, but its not really a romance

            The acting is stellar, with Yifei Liu outstanding as Mulan.  The two main villains make for worthy foes.  The witch is bad-ass, but her change of sides makes little sense.  The character development is shallow.  The characters are mostly stereotypes, so you won’t need much elaboration.  Besides, you’ll be more interested in the mesmerizing scenery and visuals.  Mulan is able to do some “Crouching Tiger” moves.  The battles are well-choreographed.  They are oriental style.

            This “Mulan” does a better job of advancing its themes.  Women can defy traditions, but they better be special.  Only Mulan could have done what Mulan does.  The movie added a younger sister who is traditional to contrast with the iconoclastic Mulan. Honor is everything is another theme.  And devotion to family.

            It’s a shame that “Mulan” was such a bomb.  Disney might be discouraged from making any more live action versions of their classic films. We probably won’t get a “Finding Nemo” with real fish.  This “Mulan” is more of a war movie than the other, although you wouldn’t immediately place it in the genre.  I wouldn’t call it a must-see, but if you want something different, it is entertaining.

GRADE  =  B

Mulan (1998)  -  It was Disney’s 36^th animated feature film and the first to have war as an important part of the plot.  It made over $300 million compared to a budget of $90 million.  It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score.  In this version, the Huns are invading China by climbing over the Great Wall.  Mulan fails her audition for the match-maker. She goes off to war to spare her father.  She is accompanied by a dragon (Eddie Murphy).  During training, she falls for her trainer Li Shang.  The rest of the plot is similar to the 2020 version, but with no witch.  Although not considered at the pinnacle of Disney features since “Little Mermaid”, “Mulan” is a visual treat.  Its animation is superior to CGI.  As a war movie lover, I wish animation would be more of an option than a CGI-reliant film.  With animation, anything is possible.  For instance, you can have a horde of Huns.  Or a spectacular avalanche.  Besides the visuals, the movie is pleasing to the ears with its collection of songs. The humor, provided mostly by Eddie Murphy’s dragon, adds to a well-balanced movie.  I would put it slightly less entertaining than the live-action version.

GRADE  =  B

            Both movies are based on the “Ballad of Mulan”.  In the original source, Mulan goes off to war in place of her father.  She tells them where she is going.  She disguises herself as a man and spends the next decade fighting nomadic raiders.  She is never discovered to be a man.  After long and valiant service, she is offered a position by the Emperor, but she turns it down to return home to the traditional life of a woman.