So it’s 7:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Nothing, I mean NOTHING is on television. I cannot watch another episode of Friends or Man vs. Food. I made the suggestion to my husband that we should watch a Disney+ movie; afterall, I am paying for it and rarely use it. He didn’t seem too enthused but I told him I wanted to watch Mulan ever since we saw the previews during the new release of the Lion King. Let me just say though, I didn’t expect much. We both loved the animated Lion King and we hated the live version released in 2018. With reservations, our boredom won. Mulan was the pick for the evening!
While my husband was getting our treaties, I decided to quickly do a little research. Mulan is a folktale . It’s been passed down in China since the 5th or 6th century. Of course, it has been embellished along the way, but supposedly there was a girl named Hua Mulan who really fought for the Chinese army as a man. Now the original Ballad of Mulan was a bit different than Disney’s version; actually it was quite darker and Mulan’s fate was not what we’d expect from her. But the more I researched, I found a great quote, “The live action movie will be more faithful to the Ballad.” And being a literature major, that’s all I needed to press PLAY!
**Don’t read if you don’t like spoiler alerts!**
The movie starts off with interesting Chinese culture. Mulan’s mom wants her married and her dad has given in to her love of Chi. I would equate Chi to Star Wars “The Force.” Chi is a mystical force that only certain men would possess–well guess that isn’t true because Mulan sure had it. I think her dad loved watching her master it, but he realized that was wrong and her place was to be matched and create a family. Fast forward (I don’t want to make this a book report), everyone in her village had to give up a male to fight in an upcoming war. Mulan’s father would have to go, injured as he was, because he had no sons. Mulan knew he would die fighting, so she took his sword and armor one night, left her family, and joined the army disguised as a man. She’s such a rebel! And a woman who knows what she wants!
This movie brought out a lot of emotions especially for women. She held her own as a fighter amongst all men, and they even gasped at some of her battle moves. Mulan was doing this for her family and country’s protection, but she was doing this because she knew she had the fight in her. Did she ever want to go to war? Probably not. But she wasn’t afraid to let her talents and skill and even fear get in the way of her courage and obligation. When she knew she was living a lie, the word “true” on her sword was sneaking into her psyche. She decided to tell her commander she was a woman. Even though she saved her battalion in a really powerful fighting scene, he banished her and said she was a disgrace. My favorite part of the movie came next. Her fellow soldiers stood up for her and respected her skills and her choice. When they knew she had the information to save her land, my favorite line came in unison from the soldiers, “Hua Mulan will lead us.” Got to say, that gave me chills.
Although the actors were basically unknown in the business, the star Liu Yifei, a Chinese American actress, certainly stole the show. She had to endure major physical training to play the part of warrior and I had no problem believing she was a fighter! Because of course Disney produces the film and it is a remake of the popular Mulan animated version, bringing it live to audiences sold its ticket for sure. The movie is rated PG 13, most likely for the violence and yes, little children should not watch this film because of it. It is definitely for anyone who grew up watching the cartoon version yet craves something more from this woman warrior. Disappointedly, the movie fell short of its 200 million budget and only grossed about 70 million. Who’s to blame? The pandemic, of course. Theaters were closed so only those subscribed to Disney+ were privy to the film.
So, let me answer a few question you may have:
Q: “Is this a chick flick?”
A: Oh Heavens no. My husband at first was lying down, then half up, then on the edge of the couch, and I saw his hand over his mouth a few times. After it was over, I heard, “That was really good.”
Q: Is this typical Disney movie with singing galore?
A: Nope! That’s why I liked it. This was all a compelling storyline. No chorus filler.
Q: Was the fighting believable?
A: Yes. I remember seeing the actress on Entertainment Tonight and she was saying how much she had to study the moves and prepare for this role.
If anyone knows me, I am not a movie buff. I watch the same ones over and over again. To me, this was like reading a book for class. I wasn’t sure about it, but I am so glad I gave it a chance. Besides, culture and some truth about the film, I loved the themes that resurrected from this film. Loyalty to family, finding your true calling, courage, being true to yourself, and let’s not forget a woman who isn’t afraid to fight and to die. Girl Power at its best. This movie definitely gets a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.