Review - Mulan (2020)

     Hey guys, Chuck here. One of the movies that I had planned to see in theaters this year was Disney's live-action version of Mulan. Unfortunately, the film was delayed multiple times due to COVID-19, until it was given a Disney+ Premium Access release three months ago. And just yesterday, it was made available to all Disney+ subscribers for free. So, now that I've watched it, here are my thoughts on Mulan. 

    Okay, first of all, the plot is pretty much the same as the original. China is attacked by northern invaders, the Emperor decrees one man from every family be sent to fight in the Imperial Army, and Mulan disguises herself as a man to take the place of her father, who is old and in poor health. After a while, the truth is revealed, and she is forced from the army, but is given another chance and she saves the Emperor and China from the enemy leader. Now, what I'd like to talk about are some of the changes made from the original. For example, the Huns are changed into the Rourans, and their leader is called Bori Khan, Li Shang is split into two characters: Commander Tung and Chen Honghui, Mushu the Dragon is switched out for a different guardian spirit: the Phoenix, and Mulan is given a younger sister. One major new character is the shapeshifting sorceress Xianniang, played by Gong Li, who plays a key role in Mulan embracing her inner strength. 

    Now one thing about this version I like is the supporting cast, which includes acting legends like Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Tzi Ma, Jason Scott Lee, and so forth. Getting to see so many great actors in this movie was a lot of fun. I'll also admit, I did enjoy Liu Yifei's performance as Mulan, and was genuinely surprised that the voice of Mulan from the original movie, Ming-Na Wen, got a cameo appearance. Now, one thing that may turn off some viewers is that the film is not a musical, and the songs from the original animated film are not re-recorded for this version. However, given the film was designed as a war movie, not having the characters sing in the movie is fine. Luckily, many of the leitmotifs of songs like "Reflection" and "I'll Make a Man Out of You" are featured in the film's score. 

    Mulan isn't among the stronger of Disney's remakes of their animated classics. For comparison's sake, I'd say it's about on par with their live-action remake of Cinderella; not perfect like Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin, but not at such a low level of quality as The Lion King. A serviceable, yet imperfect, remake, I'm going to give the live-action Mulan a rating of 4/5. This is Chuck signing off. See you guys next time. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review - The Thundermans Return (2024)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. Last night, I watched the new movie The Thundermans Return on Nickelodeon, and I have a few thoughts on it. For those who don't know what The Thundermans was, it was a Nickelodeon sitcom that ran from 2013 through 2018, and focused on a family of superheroes known as, well, the Thundermans. The show was okay, at least the episodes I happened to catch when it was on, but after seeing a lot of the advertising for this movie, I was genuinely tempted to check it out. So, here's my review of the new Nickelodeon movie The Thundermans Return.           So, the movie starts off with the Thunderman family, who since the end of the series have moved to the city of Metroburg, and are fighting crime as the superhero team the T-Force. And, something worth noting is that the family has aged in real time, so we see that Phoebe and Max are now adults, Nora and Billy are high schoolers, and Chloe is a middle schooler. Unfortunately, after a mission gone awry due to
Read more

Review - Ocean's Eleven (2001)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. Back in the 1960's, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and the rest of the Rat Pack teamed up and made a movie called Ocean's 11 , which told the story of a military veteran named Danny Ocean, who teams up with his fellow squad members to rob a number of casinos in Las Vegas. It was definitely a product of the time, and is actually a really fun movie. Seeing Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and the Rat Pack on screen together is just genuinely fun.        In 2001, producer Jerry Weintraub and director Steven Soderbergh would bring together a fantastic cast to tell a more modern version of the Rat Pack classic, and that's the movie we're talking about today. This is my review of the 2001 Steven Soderbergh film Ocean's Eleven starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, and Julia Roberts, along with the likes of Bernie Mac, Don Cheadle, Eddie Jemison, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliot Gould, Carl Reiner, and
Read more

Review - Night at the Museum (2006-2014)

          Hey guys, Chuck here, and after reviewing Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon, I needed something of a pallette cleanser. And, thus, I'm taking a look at the Night at the Museum trilogy, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ben Stiller, Rami Malek, Mizuo Peck, Ricky Gervais, Patrick Gallagher, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, and Robin Williams, with additional cast members throughout the series including the likes of Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, Carla Gugino, Bill Cobbs, Charlie Murphy, Jake Cherry, Amy Adams, Bill Hader, Hank Azaria, Jon Bernthal, Christopher Guest, the Jonas Brothers, Dan Stevens, Skyler Gisondo, Rebel Wilson, and Ben Kingsley.          So, the first Night at the Museum was released in 2006, and focuses on struggling entrepreneur Larry Daley, who ends up getting a job as the new overnight security guard at the Museum of Natural History, taking over for the older guards Cecil, Reginald, and Gus. Larry also befriends one of the daytime staff, Rebecca, and has a few r
Read more