The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Unlike last Disney remake, ‘Mulan’ brings something fresh
Unlike with ‘The Lion King,’ Disney makes an interesting update with live-action, action-packed ‘Mulan’
Only a few minutes into Disney’s live-action remake of “Mulan,” you see it has a couple of things going for it.
First, unlike the company’s previous high-profile update, last year’s “The Lion King,” this is not a retread of the original. For starters, unlike 1998’s enduring “Mulan,” this one isn’t interested in peppering songs throughout the affair.
Second, the big-budget film looks fantastic, “Mulan” instantly becoming the grandest affair to skip theaters and be available solely for home rental. (The film is debuting on streaming platform Disney+ for an additional $29.99 — to unlock “Premiere Access” — before becoming available to all subscribers, reportedly in early December.)
Those initial reactions do not steer you wrong.
“Mulan” proves to be an entertaining and wellcrafted adventure, one that retains the basic story — and spirit — of the original. It may not be an instant classic but, in a year of movie-release postponements, it stands out from the pack.
In the film’s opening moments, director Niki Caro (2002’s “Whale Rider”) introduces us to a young Hua Mulan (Crystal Rao) as she displays her gift for swordcraft in a picturesque field.
The visual is accompanied by narration from her father, Hua Zhou (Tzi Ma, “The Farewell”), lamenting that his eldest daughter must hide the talents that would be valued in a boy, who would be viewed as a great future warrior.
Back in their village, a rambunctious Mulan chases after a frisky chicken, causing disruption around her as she goes and even taking to rooftops in her pursuit. This incident is illustrative to her mother, Hua Li (Rosalind Chao), that it will be hard for Mulan to be matched with a future husband.
You can see the sadness on the face of Zhou as he
tells Mulan that she must now hide her abilities from the world.
“I say this to protect you,” he says. “That’s my job. Your job is to bring honor to the family.”
Years later, with Mulan now being portrayed by Yifei Liu, her meeting with the local Matchmaker (PeiPei Cheng) goes … poorly. As you might imagine, Li is not pleased.
Bigger troubles lie elsewhere in China, however, as the tribal Rouran warriors have ambitions of taking down the country’s Emperor (Jet Li, “The Expendables
3”). Leading this charge is Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee), who hopes to avenge the death of his father, and his uneasy ally Xianniang (Gong Li), a witch (although she prefers “warrior”) whose powers include the ability to transform into a bird.
When it is dictated by the Emperor that every family must provide a male to aid in the fight, Zhou says he will leave to fight in the war, despite his advanced age and the fact he already has fought for his country. However, before he can leave, Mulan decides to go in his place, secretly taking his armor and sword and vanishing with the plan of masquerading as a man.
As Hua Jun, she joins the forces led by Commander Tung (Donnie Yen, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”), training alongside recruits who include the very capable Hongui (Yoson An).
Jun soon shows himself to be very talented, but Mulan must avoid showering with the men — Jun is quick to volunteer for guard duty — and avoid getting too close to Hongui, who tries to establish a friendship.
When the battle comes, we know it will be difficult for Mulan to preserve her secret, even though the truth could bring shame upon her family — and get her tossed out of the military.
One of the pleasant aspects of “Mulan” is the dynamic that develops between the titular character and Xianniang, the latter seeing much of herself in the young fighter — as well as a potentially brighter future. If anything, “Mulan” would have benefited from more scenes featuring the two fierce females.
“Mulan” proves to be an entertaining and well-crafted adventure, one that retains the basic story — and spirit — of the original.
Largely, though, the film is concerned with big action sequences, and while this may not be the strongest suit of Caro — whose credits also include fine dramas in 2005’s “North Country” and “The Zookeeper’s Wife” in 2017 — there are a number of cool moments. “Mulan” suffers from too many quick cuts during the action, but that goes for myriad movies.
Girls looking for a strong female character to admire are likely to find her in Mulan, portrayed ably by Liu (“Hanson and the Beast,” “The Chinese Widow”). While it’s not an amazing performance, she proves to be a fine choice for the easy-to-root-for character.
Note, however, that the movie is violent enough to have earned a PG-13, so it may be best for the veryyoung ones to sit this one out.
For what it’s worth, the script, credited to two writing duos, eschews trying to get much mileage out of what disgusting oafs men can be, as the animated film did, but there are some cute moments during the training phase of the movie nonetheless.
And, if it’s not already clear, cinematographer Mandy Walker (“Hidden Figures,” “The Mountain Between Us”) deserves a round of applause. This is a feast for the eyes.
So is “Mulan” worth 30 bucks?
For one person, maybe not. For a family somewhat starved for entertainment, probably — although the temptation to wait a few more months to get it for the standard $6.99-permonth Disney+ rate undoubtedly will be great.
Regardless, this is a film that delivers on its promise, introducing a centuries-old legend of a great female to a new generation while also being likely to please those who’ve been a fan of the animated film for more than two decades.