Walt Disney’s 2020’s epic action-adventure (Spoiler Alert!)
Most people already know the Chinese folktale of Mulan. Colonial China is under attack by powerful warriors led by Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee). The threat is made even more terrifying because Bori Khan has a powerful witch, Xianniang (Gong Li) at his disposal. The Emperor (Jet Li) decrees that a reasonably aged male from every household in the kingdom must enlist in the army or face death… or unimaginable disgrace. Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma) is a wounded army veteran who only has two daughters. So sadly, but proudly, he enlists on behalf of his family.
Hua Mulan (Yifei Liu) is the first of his two daughters and possesses a powerful chi (inner strength). She is tomboyish, carefree, wild, and stubborn. She isn’t interested in doing house chores, cooking, or being groomed for marriage. She prefers to learn how to fight and run around using and developing her incredible athletic skills, much to the chagrin of her mother, Hua Li (Rosalind Chao). In their culture, Mulan’s shenanigans and escapades were very unusual and unbecoming for a female.
Of course we half expect and know what will happen next, even if we didn’t already know the Mulan story; Mulan, defying the laws and culture, secretly decides to take her father’s place in the army. She steals his armour, sword, horse, and journeys to the camp under the guise of a man, Hua Jun, the fake first son of her father, Hua Zhou. If caught, it was an offence punishable by death. This led her shocked and distressed father to pray that the god of their ancestors, the ‘great stone dragon’ go with Mulan and protect her.
In this film, we are not only entertained by the scenes on the battlefield, the witch’s incredible magical powers, the gravity defying capabilities, the impressive martial art techniques, and skills, but are also amused and tickled by how Mulan had to cope with living and training with men while trying to maintain her false identity. The training camp is led by an old comrade of Mulan’s father, Commander Tung (Donnie Yen). She makes a few friends; one of them being self-confident and bold Chen Honghui (Yoson An).
As with most epic films, writers and directors can have their own interpretations or make slight variations to the actual story or even characters. The 2020 live-action Mulan adaptation is no exception as it deviates noticeably from the 1998’s popular animation. For example, while Mulan’s love interest was the character, captain Li Shang in the animation, in the live-action edition, it’s subtly hinted in another character. Another example is the dragon we loved so much in the 1998 animation, Mushy, voiced by witty Eddie Murphy; the 2020 live adaptation showcases a beautiful speechless spirit dragon. This dragon is seen only by Mulan as it watches over her.
I did find a couple of nagging issues with the film (Spoiler Alert!!).
First, how does a powerful witch meet with such an easy, plain, and quite honestly, unnecessary demise? Second, how anyone could believe that slender, feminine, and pretty Mulan could be anything but female, is beyond me. Third, there wasn’t much in the way of a plot. I find that a lot of films have this as their Achilles heels. Quite a lot of time was dedicated to the start of the film leading to the camp site that there wasn’t enough for the battle and fight scenes.
The acting was fair enough, and I would applaud the special effects, the costumes, photography, and camera work. There were breath-taking mountain views and scenery. A notable soundtrack - 'Loyal, Brave, True' which was recorded by Christina Aguilera was actually written by someone I know - Billy Crabtree and three others: Harry Gregson-Williams, Jamie Hartman, and Rosie Golan. I thought they did a terrific job.
However, though entertaining, this film fell short of my expectations. It’s worthy of watching but definitely did not fulfil it’s true potential. Rating? 6.9 out of 10.
Currently streaming on Disney+
Further Information
Director: Niki Caro
Screenplay:
Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver - American husband and wife screenwriter and film producer duo. Known for either writing or co-producing famous movies like the 2011 – 2017 American sci-fi action, Planet of the Apes Franchise, the 2015 sci-fi adventure, Jurassic World, the 2015 historical adventure-drama, In the Heart of the Sea.
Jason Scott Lee:
American actor and martial artist. He played Bruce Lee in 1993’s martial arts film, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, and Mowgli in Disney’s 1994 live-action adaptation of The Jungle Book.
Gong Li:
Chinese Actress. Starred in 2005’s American epic-drama, Memoirs of a Geisha, 2006’s action-thriller Miami Vice, 2007’s American horror film, Hannibal Rising, the 5th Instalment to the Hannibal Lecter franchise.
Jet Li:
Chinese-Singaporean actor, producer, and martial artist. Starred in 1998’s American action-comedy film, Lethal Weapon 4, 2000’s American action film, Romeo Must Die, 2001’s American sci-fi action, The One, 2002’s Chinese action film, Hero, 2008’s American action-adventure comedy, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
Tzi Ma:
Hong Kong-American actor. Starred in the American action-drama series 24, 1997’s American thriller, Dante’s Peak, American action-comedies, Rush Hour (1998) & Rush Hour 3 (2007), 2016 American Sci-fi film, Arrival.
Yifei Liu:
Chinese-American actress, singer, and model. Starred in 2008’s Wuxia film, The Forbidden Kingdom, 2014’s Chinese-American-Canadian action film, Outcast.
Rosalind Chao:
American actress. Starred in 1992’s American black-comedy sci-fi, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, 1993’s American drama, The Joy Luck Club, as Keiko O’Brien in 1987-1994’s American sci-fi tv series, Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 1998 American fantasy-drama, What Dreams May come, 2019’s American biographical comedy-drama, Laundromat.
Donnie Yen:
Hong Kong-Chinese actor, producer, director, martial artist, stuntman, and action choreographer. He played the Wing Chun grandmaster IP Man in the Hong Kong biographical martial arts IP Man saga (Between 2008 and 2019), 2016’s American epic space film, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, 2017’s American action film, XXX: Return of Xander Cage.
Yoson An:
Macanese-New Zealand actor and filmmaker. Starred in 2013’s New Zealand supernatural thriller, Ghost Bride, 2016’s American-Chinese Wuxia film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, 2018’s American action sci-fi, The Meg, 2018’s post-apocalyptic action-adventure, Mortal Engines.
Comments