I…
See, like…
I think the Disney Industrial Complex should re-evaluate its decisions to cash grab on nostalgia by producing live-action and CGI-assisted remakes of their animated classics.
Like, I enjoy retellings. I have no issue with the 75th iteration of Batman. Scarface is about to be remade for the third or fourth time on film, so please…have at it!
Many of Disney’s 2D-animated “classics” are repackaged narratives based on fairytales, cultural lore and myths, and Shakespeare’s works.
But…make it make sense is all I ask. The 1998 animated film is a problematic fave, ya know, but this iteration just seemed ornamental, not cultural or genre-defining at all. What was its aim? I expected so much more from such a grand production.
I can see why Disney+ introduced the premium access for this film—they needed to recoup by any 👏🏾 means 👏🏾necessary👏🏾. I didn’t even pay the access charge to view this film, but I feel like Disney should run me some duckets as compensation for my wasted time. Sheesh!
The Good:
👍🏾 Immediately impressed with the cinematography, costuming, hue, and production design. The film looks fantastic.
👍🏾 Good sound editing (music, dialogue, effects are assembled and blended together) and sound mixing (balances all sound at appropriate levels for audience).
👍🏾 Acting legends all up and through this bih!!! Jason Scott Lee was on my Mt. (C)Rushmore as a kiddo—loved seeing him again. Jet Li. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 Donnie Yen. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
The Bad:
😞 So, the producers/writers didn’t want to include the romantic relationship between Mulan and Honghuo. Cool. They didn’t want her individual strength or focus to be centered on her desires for intimacy, or some shit, right? Basically, they wanted to take the ‘Captain Marvel‘ route rather than the “Wonder Woman” one. That’s cool! I think that could have worked. But, Mulan isn’t a superhero, right? So what was the point of giving her these powers, misusing the fuck out of qi (ch’i), and the plot was still weak AF? It undercuts the whole point of building her strengths based on her merit.
😞 Pacing was rushed from the introduction to the climax, but not hurried enough post-climax to the conclusion. And the conclusion was abrupt.
😞Bruh, I don’t know why my expectations were so much higher than they should’ve been for the matchmaker scene, but that sequence was the rising action! That’s the sequence that was supposed to jumpstart all subsequent actions of the plot:
“Mulan ‘brings dishonor’ to her family because she wasn’t lady-like enough to be considered as someone’s bride…so she disguises herself as a male-born child of her father to take his place in the army…”
That scene was pivotal to the plot! Ugh! The prep sequence for the matchmaker was cute though— I enjoyed the direction of setting up the makeup tray, Mulan donning on the robe, and the shoes. Working the hair with the pins and combs. But, whew chile, the matchmaker part sucked!!!
😞 Um, reflection. Like, the song “Reflection” during the post-matchmaker fiasco which transitions into Mulan’s pre-wartime prep using her father’s sword to see her…reflection…before she chops off her hair and gallops away to join the army.
Where was it, fam?
Like we got two seconds of her reflection in the sword, but why stick in the song’s instrumental in during the war scene, and only use it once with no reference to why it was important in the first place? A MESS!!!!!!
😞 And, one that note, WHERE WAS THE HAIR CHOPPING SCENE, BRUH? UGH!!!! 🥴🥴
Noticeable direction that made me go “🧐😔😣”:
😣 The zoom-out shot of the soldier walking down the stairs following the emperor’s call to have a male from each family join the army was tricky. The effect was supposed to allude to a grand decree or announcement. Unfortunately, the sequence fell flat. I think a quick trucking shot showing the solider’s urgency would have better suited the actions, especially given that that soldier ended up being a decoy.
😣Prior to that scene, when the witch-bird Xianniang (played by Li Gong) enters the city with the Huns, there’s a rotating 180-degree shot that mimicked the “turning tables” scenes between the reigns of T’challa and Killmonger in “Black Panther.” The Mulan scene, however, gave the impression of a “cool” aesthetic choice, not a well-executed and necessary directing decision.
Wow, did this film drag on. I definitely hit the “watch-check” at the 20-minute mark. They could’ve saved 45 minutes at the end to beef up the some of the pivotal scenes during the introduction and climax.
Also, I didn’t know this wasn’t a musical. I am disturbed by this decision. I think it could’ve helped.
I was not impressed by Yifei Liu‘s performance as Mulan. Shawty had zero charisma.
To conclude, this film reminds me of the penultimate and final seasons of GoT, kinda. High expectations, but no real satisfaction. “Mulan” is technically good—cinematography was on point and whatnot. It’s nice to look at (on mute).
Questions: But, did I love it? Did this long awaited remake exceed or meet my expectations?
Answer: ⬇️⬇️