Mulan (2020) - Review Thread (RT: 81% | MetaCritic: 69)
- Thread starter BZL8
- Start date
Walter Chaw's review is a depressing read:
Mulan (2020)
½*/**** starring Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Jet Li screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin directed by Niki Caro by Walter Chaw You can become an expe...
www.filmfreakcentral.net
I'm just repeating (poorly) what the behind the scenes video said. It was really strange.
I found the video and they say a "Western context".
https://twitter.com/chococow280/status/1302119770775412737?s=21
To me it sounds like they were definitely inspired by other wuxia films, but they wanted to push a Western sensibility onto it which...yeah, failed lol
They make it seem like the stunt coordinator was doing something revolutionary "making a new language" as though nobody ever brought Chinese action film stunt techniques into western action films before.
Just watched this and what the hell? I'm ethnic Chinese so I'm pretty well versed in Chinese history, fable and this Mulan is like what westerners 'think' what a Chinese wuxia movie is supposed to be. The 'chinese'-ness in this movie is only in appearance.....the 'spirit' is totally wrong.
It reminds me of 'the last emperor', it's a great movie artistically but it's so 'un-chinese' that it almost made me fume when I'm watching it.
It reminds me of 'the last emperor', it's a great movie artistically but it's so 'un-chinese' that it almost made me fume when I'm watching it.
This movie was so God damn bad throughout the whole thing I wanted to turn on the cartoon instead.
A western phoenix (which is rooted in Greek mythology) is not a Chinese fenghuang just like a western dragon is different from a Chinese long. They symbolize different things and are used differently within mythology, and conflating their symbolism is, frankly speaking, western appropriation and disregard for other cultures.
I honestly think part of the critic's general sympathy towards Disney product is in a lot of ways thanks to the narrative the studio is able to create before the film is even out. They have a woman director, they (in surface at least) are respecting chinese culture, the casting fits the part, and the moral of the story is a universally nice one and relevant enough for everyone in critic circles to rally behind. There are seemingly no faux pas in the lead up to the movie's release, it's seen has a positive force in the world and thus reviewed with perhaps more leniancy than another movie would. In a way, the safe choices made in pre production influence the scores more than the movie itself. The movie just has to be generally fine enough to then have positive reviews. And no, I don't think the HK protest story is a negative one when it comes to critics, I'd even argue popular hate amongst keyboard warrior sometimes lead the critics to be in defensive mode, to push back against those types and go in the movie's favor. Like how a lot of critics of the new Ghostbuster movie had the same positive narrative of "sorry losers the movie is actually fine".
An example of the contrary would be Joker. This is an example of a movie with a messy lead up, with a director critics generally don't like, and with the message being seen generally as negative and not something to rally behind. And so, despite the movie being fine enough, the pendulum swings the other way, into negative critics teritory. (To be clear I'm not for Joker and against Disney, I hated that movie)
So what Disney is especially good at is create positive narrative behind their films before they're out, and this positivity carries it to a good enough score with critics despite maybe some wonky quality with the product itself.
Lol it was a poor post on my end. I used to review Disney films so...I never got paid but I can say I was afforded opportunities by the studio that I wouldn't have without Disney's money and influence. And I wasn't even a big-time reviewer or anything. I can't imagine what kind of deals Disney has with various press outlets, but I will say that I don't think every review is honest and unbiased. There is already a bias when you want to maintain a good relationship with a studio.
Oh that doomed to fail, because if I understand correctly wuxia style fighting involves long weeks even months of preparation even wit Actors who spent years of training in Chinese opera. Hollywood system allows months of preparation only if it involves Environment effects.
Idk, even though the editing is all over the place and it feels rushed, I think it is actually the best Disney remake so far. Not that it had a high bar to clear to begin with. But I like China and cultures from east Asia in general so I'm kinda biased. I'd give it 5 or 6 out of 10.
Watched this last night and found it super boring... Honestly, even the visuals failed to impress me.
The original has a very vocal fanbase when it comes to the songs - every thread about this remake has had people complaining about the lack of them. Not as long-lived as Star Wars, but there's a definite section of the fanbase which was never going to like this once Disney made the choice to not have musical numbers.
How did this work - did you need to give a fresh/passing grade to get 1 opportunity?
This movie was really bad...It blows my mind that with the budged they had it feels cheaper than Croching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2, and that one is a cheap Netflix production. Everything about this movie is bad, the worst offender being the way it's edited. There are a couple of scenes where Mulan literally teleports around, the fights are boring and lifeless, the acting is bad, the script is awful. Also the original's epilogue is really good, in this one even that didn't feel right.
This era of Disney's live action classic is truly the worst, can't explain why.
This era of Disney's live action classic is truly the worst, can't explain why.
Wasn't the epilogue of the original just basically "Disney Prince comes to whisk the Disney Princess away"? I always felt it was jarring that a film about how a woman can be as good as a man ends in such a traditional way, so to me the new ending is way better.
Well I meant the events in the Royal Palace with the emperor giving her the medal of honor and all of China bowing down to her. Even the meeting with her father when she gives him the sword and the medal and he throws them away was more impactful. The prince scene is kinda subtle though, nothing happens he just comes there and they chat while one of the old women asks him "wanna stay forever?" so yeah I don't see it as the classic Disney prince that gets the princess
I see your point. Having read up on the fenghuang, it would seem it represents multiple things including the marriage of Yin and Yang, husband and wife, and divine power given to the Empress. I guess my thoughts on that are that Mushu wasn't exactly a 1 for 1 copy paste of the chinese dragon either, unless we are counting it as a symbol of good luck, which the Phoenix also is. I'm just happy to see more asian representation at all. Yeah I do think the production team should ideally have been Chinese, but big screen representation on this level is so rare for Asian-Americans that I can't bring myself to hate it. It isn't literally yellowface for one. I guess that's how low the bar is.
First of all, I appreciate that Disney tries to do something different with the plot akin to The Jungle Book as opposed to Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. It would at least have given the film the chance to stand out.
Unfortunately, this ain't it chief.
As someone who was excited to finally see wuxia style fight scenes from Hollywood, this was a confusing mix of rapid cuts and poor choreography. There's one scene where you have to wonder how Mulan got to where she was so quickly and avoided everything else to save someone. It's pretty damning that the cartoon you're copying is easier to follow.
The acting isn't anything to write home about and it's compounded by a dour script that seems too afraid to lighten up too much like the cartoon.
It seemed like they were going somewhere with giving the villain more layers, but that's brushed completely aside in the end.
It's overall theme isn't muddled and it does do things different either some sort of cleverness. This saves it from being compared to Lion King. But it pales in comparison to the movie, where it's biggest moments simply blow it out of the water. It's unique, but its mediocrity adds it to the list of unnecessary takes of a Disney classic. 5.5/10
Unfortunately, this ain't it chief.
As someone who was excited to finally see wuxia style fight scenes from Hollywood, this was a confusing mix of rapid cuts and poor choreography. There's one scene where you have to wonder how Mulan got to where she was so quickly and avoided everything else to save someone. It's pretty damning that the cartoon you're copying is easier to follow.
The acting isn't anything to write home about and it's compounded by a dour script that seems too afraid to lighten up too much like the cartoon.
It seemed like they were going somewhere with giving the villain more layers, but that's brushed completely aside in the end.
Killing of the redemptive villain is getting tiring at this. It was even avoidable at this point. Couldn't she have just joined up with Mulan in a team up? At least Cricket survived thank God. And... does the phoenix work so that only Mulan see it?
It's overall theme isn't muddled and it does do things different either some sort of cleverness. This saves it from being compared to Lion King. But it pales in comparison to the movie, where it's biggest moments simply blow it out of the water. It's unique, but its mediocrity adds it to the list of unnecessary takes of a Disney classic. 5.5/10
Last edited:
My wife and kids loved it. It is their favorite disney live action remake by a huge margin.
I thiught it was fine. I'm not really super into it though.
I thiught it was fine. I'm not really super into it though.
same...a chinese like me watching a movie about a chinese fable set in a chinese settings starring chinese actors speaking english is just..............wrong.
The last time i felt this 'wrong' in a movie is when i was watching the original english dub version of 'the last emperor'.
if it's not a dub, then they practically have to shoot 2 version of the same movie since the actors spoke english in the current disney+ version.
I'm shocked it reviewed as well as it has. My wife and I just got done watching it with my family and we both thought it was horrible. Completely inferior to the animated version in all elements it takes from it, and the new content isn't well done at all. Felt like the movie tripped over its intended themes constantly.
Also, I wasn't sure who directed the movie but I am absolutely not surprised at all to learn the director, screenwriters, and producers were all white.
Her CHIIIIIIIIIIIII
orientalist trash 🗑️
Also, I wasn't sure who directed the movie but I am absolutely not surprised at all to learn the director, screenwriters, and producers were all white.
Her CHIIIIIIIIIIIII
orientalist trash 🗑️
Even if the audio is in Cantonese, I don't think it will sound as good as a movie like Parasite, since the Chinese accent of all the actors is all over the country. It will be even more jarring when Mulan, and her family speaking like 3-4 different China accent lmao.
Watched and it was pretty bad .... Entirely unforgettable, bland characters and felt completely soulless.
Surprised at the hateful reaction (in which I detect some distinct tripping over one another). As far as Disney remakes go, I found it one of their better efforts. Very well shot and avoided that ugly digital sheen others like Dumbo and Maleficent have had. Some mixed pacing and effects work (unfortunately including the climax), and some dodgy exposition/theme work in the script, but while the cartoon is certainly better it's a solid film. Compared to tripe like their BATB or Dumbo remakes I enjoyed it solidly. Perhaps it helps that I've only seen the cartoon once and years ago.
It's definitely a very low bar, which is unfortunate. You would think after Black Panther that the bar for using other ethnic cultures as the base for your movie would be higher.
It's nice to see that a lot of Asians online agree as well. There's some decent backlash. Probably not enough to matter though.
Activists call for ‘Mulan’ boycott over star’s Hong Kong stance
Activists are calling for a boycott of Disney’s live-action 'Mulan” remake, citing a social media post from the lead actress in support of Hong Kong police.
www.japantimes.co.jp
not watching it..she supported HK police
Saw it. I grew up watching ancient Chinese era movies, and this was an attempt at an imitation at best. So many scenes were so awkward like the tea scene with the match maker. It felt like the people involved in the production really wanted to make a game of throne movie instead down to the night's watch attire. The climax fight was so weak. Besides the main heroine, I enjoyed the rest of the casting at least.
