First reactions are in for Mulan, “the best of the Disney live-action remakes”
By Dan Selcke
Disney’s live-action remake of 1998’s Mulan, directed by Niki Caro and starring Liu Yifei in the lead role, comes out this month, and I am genuinely interested. That’s change from most of Disney’s live-action remakes, which in general have seemed too similar to the source material to be worth making. Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin…they’re all well-made and everything, but why bother with them when they’re basically carbon copies of the original films, just less expressive because they’re no longer animated?
Or at least, that’s how I’ve been thinking about them. But Mulan, which tells the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man to join the Imperial Chinese Army in place of her aging father, looks different. Gone is the wise-cracking dragon, gone are the musical numbers. The character of Li Shang is now broken up into two people: Commander Tung (Donnie Yen) and fellow soldier Chen Honghui (Yoson An). I get why some viewers may be upset with these changes, but I like that this new version of the movie, which draws more explicitly from the legend of Hua Mulan, is forging its own path.
Are my hopes borne out? Well, the movie had its grand premiere the other night, and first reactions are coming in. Let’s take a look at them, shall we?
#Mulan is exciting, vibrant, emotional, and different from the animated version. It's definitely its own thing, which I dug - a more mature Disney film, featuring stunning production design & fight choreography. Director Niki Caro & star Liu Yifei are the big stand-outs, imo pic.twitter.com/p6IEQUDNBu
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 10, 2020
Okay, good start. In fact, most of the reaction seems to be pretty effusive:
#Mulan is absolutely fantastic. Different enough with great action scenes, but with the heart of the original film. It doesn't even matter that it's not a musical. If you're a fan of the animated, there are subtle nods to many of the songs. Can’t wait to see this again.
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) March 10, 2020
Is #Mulan the first great superhero movie of 2020? It sure feels like it. She soars over rooftops, flies across walls, shoots arrows, and is just a general badass. The film serves as a reminder to be true to yourself. Little girls are going to look up to @yifei_cc pic.twitter.com/cVVFMb07UP
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) March 10, 2020
Obviously, the story of a young woman taking charge and empowering herself resonated with a lot of people in the audience:
Wow. Just wow. Disney's Mulan is not only visually stunning, it is absolutely magical. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every second of it. I cannot wait to take my girls to see it. Talk about girl power. WOW. #Mulan
— Tessa Smith - Mama's Geeky (@MamasGeeky) March 10, 2020
#Mulan is about a warrior. And that warrior is a legend. Thank you, from all the female warriors that needed this kick-A movie. It’s different from the animated version, and I’ll be proud to show my daughters this film!
— Tania Lamb or Ms. Lambchops to Kevin Feige (@LolaLambchops) March 10, 2020
I like what Michael Lee says below about the film modernizing some the the themes of the story for today’s audiences. I wish more of the Disney remakes went that extra mile:
#Mulan is one of the best live-action adaptation of a Disney animated classic. It honors the 1998 film and the ballad by modernizing themes of female empowerment and iconic scenes, while also standing out w/ great cinematography & battle sequences are reminiscent of Wuxia epics. pic.twitter.com/2DUjzX1M1h
— Michael Lee (@IamMichaelJLee) March 10, 2020
The new Mulan also tries to be more respectful of the story’s Chinese roots:
#Mulan is a gorgeous film that pays homage to the ballad of its origin, and Yifei Liu gives a fantastic performance.
— The Distracted Tatiana (@myrcellasear) March 10, 2020
Songs and Mushu are missed, but other adaptation changes serve the story well and fit the tone. (PS. Yoson An is a great not-Shang & the love story still works.) pic.twitter.com/3ICOKKL2jb
Other commenters went further in talking about the love story:
Also! Surprisingly sexy for a Disney movie. Case in point: the very loud “OH MY GOD” that was uttered in the theater when Yoson An took his shirt off. #Mulan
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) March 10, 2020
Disney’s Mulan remake leaves a lot behind, but offers much more in its absence. Plenty of 1998 throwbacks pepper a story full of incredible action, humor, and heart.
— alison foreman (@alfaforeman) March 10, 2020
Oh, and the romantic chemistry gets STEAMY. Like chanting “kiss” in a silent theater steamy.#Mulan2020 #mulan pic.twitter.com/soILc7OdTm
All of this is great! Although in the spirit of fairness, we should highlight at least one negative reaction:
There’s a great film yearning to break out in #Mulan, but it’s surprisingly bogged down by adapting the animation. It has its moments, but the poor villains and inconsistent action quality results in a mediocre movie. pic.twitter.com/2iZ3wZYOts
— Mansoor Mithaiwala (@MansoorAYM) March 10, 2020
The villain, by the way, is Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee), who’s invading China with his Hun army. He was pretty weak in the animated version, too.
Mostly, people seem be digging the film! It opens on March 27.
Next. Outlander author explains why Jamie and Claire didn’t keep baby Bonnie. dark
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