'Mulan' (2020) Review

If you missed my Tenet review, then welcome back! I'm writing once more, and hope to catch up on reviewing everything I've seen and neglected these past six months. In addition to Tenet, I recently reviewed I'm Thinking of Ending Things and will soon write about The New Mutants and The Personal History of David Copperfield before doubling back to share Reel Recaps for March-August. In this review, I'll also address Mulan's unique release situation.

'Mulan' Review

Nominated For: Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.

Synopsis: A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior to save her father.

Runtime: 115 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of violence)

Who should see it? Families and fans of Disney's live-action remakes.

Adapted from the 1998 animated film and the centuries-old Chinese poem, the Ballad of Mulan (though neither reference points are credited for some reason), Mulan is Disney's latest live-action reimagining. Those who've read my reviews for the previous Disney remakes will know I'm growing tired of the fad. But considering Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019), and The Lion King (2019), each grossed over $1 Billion worldwide, I doubt the studio intends on cutting back anytime soon. More so than previous retellings, Mulan is saddled with an abundance of controversies, provoking a coordinated social media movement to boycott the film for various reasons I'll now detail.

For starters, the exclusion of songs and Mulan's humorous dragon guardian Mushu upset many animation fans. Then, star Yifei Liu openly commented about Hong Kong's police force regarding their show of force against pro-democratic protesters. After months of release delays due to COVID-19, Disney announced in a shareholder's call that Mulan would be released exclusively via "Premier Access" on Disney+ for $29.99, on top of the $6.99 monthly subscription. This rightfully upset many, but considering the production's $200 M budget, I can understand why the studio hopes to recoup that investment. And most recently, the credits thanked the Turpan Municipal Bureau of Public Security, who helped China’s communist government imprison Muslims in concentration camps. Your opinion may vary whether each of the aforementioned issues is problematic or not, but that's beside the point. I'm sharing the information so you can make an informed decision. Since I knew Mulan would be added to Disney+ for free on December 4th, I had no intention of paying for it and planned to wait. However, I had a friend that purchased it and lent me his login to review the film so long as I split the cost with him, and I figured $15 seemed much more reasonable than $30. So, I obliged. 

Diverting from the copy/paste formula most Disney remakes employ, Mulan sets itself apart from the animation. Though it tells the same story in broad strokes and occasionally homages the original, Mulan attempts to ground itself as a martial arts epic. Given China's immense box office potential, it's evident Disney tailor-made this retelling to satisfy the Chinese government. That said, it's odd Disney's efforts didn't extend to representation behind the camera. Neither the director nor the four credited screenwriters are Chinese, much less Asian. Though not a requirement for the opportunity to tell Mulan's story, you think the studio would make a more genuine effort for the sake of the story's perspective. Alas, that wasn't the case... However, it's worth noting director Niki Caro still managed to make history, considering Mulan is the most expensive live-action film ever directed by a woman with a whopping production price tag of $200 M.

Regarding the project's scope, budget, and approach, Mulan had plenty of potential to better represent the Chinese folk poem. The stage was set for a more faithful adaptation, but screenwriters Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin, and Lauren Hynek had other ideas. Namely, the inclusion of "chi" as a convoluted justification of Mulan's fighting prowess. I felt this change contradicted the story's underlying female empowerment message. The live-action version infers that Mulan can fight alongside men because she possesses superhuman reflexes. The implementation of chi, in of itself, is not a harmful idea. But it's suggested few women have strong chi, which is the only reason why Mulan is special. It's like what happened to Rey in The Rise of Skywalker, where a female character's strength was unnecessarily verified by a nonsensical explanation... Interestingly, both are Disney releases that fell victim to studio-meddling to try and appease a specific group of people. In Mulan's case, it was Chinese audiences and their government. For TRoS, it was toxic Star Wars fans outraged by creative choices from The Last Jedi. 

That said, Mulan isn't a dumpster fire by any means. It's more of a mixed bag. For everything Mulan managed to get right, there's something else that held it back. The script isn't fleshed out particularly well, so there's little depth or emotion found anywhere. It's mostly a surface-level retelling. Nearly every action set-piece was also butchered in the editing bay or oddly choreographed, lending an artificiality to the stunt work. Mulan's strengths are also inconsistent, as the visually striking assets (sets and costumes) occasionally looked cheap in flat lighting. Well-rounded aspects include the gorgeous cinematography by Mandy Walker and Harry Gregson-Williams' zen score. Though there's no singing heard in this version, there are many orchestral renditions of the classic animated songs laced throughout the score.

Concerning the cast, Yifei Liu and Tzi Ma make the most of their material as Mulan and Fa Zhou. Their bond as father and daughter felt very genuine amidst many superficial relationships, which is good considering it's the story's emotional core. Front and center, Yifei Liu offers a rich portrayal of Mulan's notable attributes, striking a nice balance as a tough yet vulnerable heroine. She's convincing as the disciplined warrior, the conflicted soldier, and the devoted daughter. The remaining ensemble never quite rise above their lackluster material to leave a lasting impression. 

Most frustrating, though, is how this film colossally wastes Donnie Yen's talents. He exists as a detached leader and mentor figure. The decision to effectively split Li Shang into two separate new characters robs each character of Shang's well-rounded endearing qualities. Now, there's a vague love interest whom Mulan shares little chemistry with and a mentor who hardly interacts with Mulan. I understand the rationale behind the choice, but it fell flat in execution. 

On the antagonistic front, there are two baddies: a warlord and a witch. Both these characters are hardly fleshed out beyond those superficial descriptions, which is just a shame. I understand the inclusion of Attila the Hun in the animation is historically inaccurate, but he had a much more menacing presence than either of these villains. Böri Khan is virtually the same character with the same motivations, but he's sorely missing Attila's weight and gravitas. He's hardly even in the movie to make such an impression, so I can't really fault this on Jason Scott Lee's performance. Li Gong's Xianniang is a unique addition to the story, but her potential as an antagonist also felt squandered by the script. 

Ironically, it seems those involved in making Mulan spent little time of self-reflection. Unlike the idealized girls sung about in the animation, Mulan is not a remake worth fighting (or paying $30) for. Instead, use your Disney+ subscription to rewatch the included original and wait till December 4th if you're still determined to see the 2020 iteration.

Film Assessment: C+