# Mulan (2020) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 5, 2020, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879 "2020-09-05T11:39:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/1 "2020-09-05T11:39:29Z")
I’ve just watched _Mulan_ on Disney+. I’d already been aware that it was not following the beats of the animated film of the same name from 1998, and that was just fine with me. I’ve seen a few of the Disney live-action remakes, and I found them, at best, rather unnecessary. For example, no disrespect to the actors and crew, but _Beauty and the Beast_ live-action was very nearly a beat-for-beat remake of the previous animated film - it was fine, but seemed to me rather superfluous. _Mulan_ follows a similar path to the previous film, obviously, but it is not a musical, nor does it have the designated comedy relief characters like Mushu and Grandma. Instead, the levity is more character-based, interaction-based, rather than jokey sidekicks. Again, to me, all to the good. I’m not one to try and judge the actors’ performances; all I can say is that I was drawn into those performances, and they rang true to me. Overall, I found it worth watching on it’s own merits; well acted, well produced, with believable dialogue. So far as the cost, I reckon it was less than what we’d spend at the theaters - not to mention the fact that the theaters are closed around here anyway! I’ll probably be watching it again, and when the theaters are open again we’ll probably take it in there. General score: 7.5 out of 10, mainly for the familiarity of the story, rather than any problem of its own. And there’s a nice little cameo for Ming-Na Wen in there too ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/2 "2020-09-05T18:48:36Z")
Watched it as a family last night. I thought it was OK, but really more of an action movie than anything. My daughter loved it, but commented it was not very much like the cartoon. My wife thought it was dull. My son had little to say about it. The anticipation was high. Amazing trailers, the delay due to Covid. In the end, just an OK movie. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/3 "2020-09-06T00:56:28Z")
I thought it was good but not as good as the original, which is one of my favorite Disney animations. The problem for me is that some of my favorite scenes in the original are either different or ignored in the live-action, which isn’t really fair. It would be interesting to hear from people who have never seen the original. I also thought it was a little predictable; as soon as the witch is introduced I knew what her final confrontation would be. It did have some good acting; there were some tough scenes to pull off and they mostly nailed it. I liked the occasional musical call-backs to the original. The new Mulan is a bit stronger than the original, too. ---
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/4 "2020-09-06T17:08:08Z")
Watched it last night. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as the original. The tl,dr is this is Fisher Price’s My First Kung-Fu Movie. The cinematography, sets, costumes, and music were gorgeous. Unfortunately, the acting and story fell flat for me. Making Mulan a Force user (sorry, Chi), took away from the original’s theme of personal struggle and overcoming adversity. I did like that in this one, she had more inner conflict about her disguise. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/5 "2020-09-06T17:20:20Z")
Glad y’all enjoyed it, but another studio could have produced and released it. Disney needs to stay in their lane. Seriously, it’s like if Sam Peckinpah had made _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers._ ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/6 "2020-09-06T19:21:20Z")
Removing the songs was the biggest mistake. I heard that the songs were removed because people in today’s climate wouldn’t understand the central irony of songs like “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You” and take them literally at face-value and claim the songs were sexist. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/7 "2020-09-06T22:24:42Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > I heard that the songs were removed because people in today’s climate wouldn’t understand the central irony of songs like “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You” and take them literally at face-value and claim the songs were sexist. That seems doubtful. It sounds like right-wing wishful thinking, as the song very blatantly mocks the sexist sentiment. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/8 "2020-09-06T22:40:28Z")
How many women are in the upper level of the CCP? Almost none. Lefty government traditional prejudice, ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/9 "2020-09-07T15:14:29Z")
MOD Note: Please keep off-subject political observations out of Cafe threads. This could be an excellent discussion in another forum. _Reminder, Mod Notes are only notes, nothing we track and nothing but minor instructions._ ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/10 "2020-09-07T15:17:57Z")
Was it worth $30 to see it? ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/11 "2020-09-07T22:15:05Z")
To me, yes. As I said in the OP, it’s less than we would have spent going to the movies, and the theaters are closed in this area anyway. My wife and I enjoyed it, and I don’t feel cheated of my money. To others? Maybe. It’s a solid movie, good but not great. Think of it this way - both this and the animated movie are based on the same legend, but told by different storytellers. The details are different, the style is different, but the general drift of the plot is the same. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/12 "2020-09-08T18:22:44Z")
My family watched it. Half the price of taking everyone to the theater, which aren’t open anyway. I was disappointed it wasn’t a musical. But I love wuxia movies, so I was still happy. This new Mulan is paint-by-the-numbers, following the tropes well. The pacing was good, the characters were interesting, and the action was fun. It’s a good intro for those unfamiliar with the genre. I like that Disney experimented with a film style outside their comfort zone; they’ve proven they can do musicals. Their remake of Aladdin doubled down on it, and they surpassed the original. They wanted to go a different way this time and that’s should be encouraged. I just hope the new Little Mermaid doesn’t go grimdark. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/13 "2020-09-08T18:36:52Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I like that Disney experimented with a film style outside their comfort zone; they’ve proven they can do musicals. Their remake of Aladdin doubled down on it, and they surpassed the original. They wanted to go a different way this time and that’s should be encouraged. I just hope the new Little Mermaid doesn’t go grimdark. Aladdin surpassed the original? I thought it was worse(better than Mulan, though) However, my whole family thinks the live-action Beauty and the Beast is even better than the animated one. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/14 "2020-09-08T18:47:04Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Aladdin surpassed the original? Absolutely! The original Aladdin was my favorite Disney movie. Now it’s only my favorite Disney _animated_ movie, because the remake did everything the original did, but better. We’ve watched it once in the theater, three or more streaming. Play the soundtrack in the car (it’s got superb orchestration). The Mulan movies are on orthogonal axes and can’t be directly compared. Is Mulan 1998 a better musical than Mulan 2020 is a wuxia? I think so, maybe? The live Beauty and the Beast didn’t do anything for me. Maybe some sort of uncanny valley effect. It probably deserves a rewatch. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/15 "2020-09-08T19:25:07Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > The live Beauty and the Beast didn’t do anything for me. Maybe some sort of uncanny valley effect. It probably deserves a rewatch. If nothing else, it gave us Evermore, an amazing song. It’s honestly even better if you use a computer to [remove the Beast-effect that had been added to Dan Stevens voice.](https://youtu.be/qRdH6i7u4s4) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/16 "2020-09-08T20:01:40Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > I just hope the new Little Mermaid doesn’t go grimdark. Caption below movie poster showing a scowling, bloodied Sebastian: “The Claws Ain’t Fer Show, Bub!” … > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Seriously, it’s like if Sam Peckinpah had made _Seven Brides for Seven Brothers._ Here’s my $29.95, Disney! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/17 "2020-09-15T06:36:57Z")
After bending over backwards to make _Mulan_ friendly for a Chinese audience, the box office bends Disney over forward. > **[Mulan Box Office Flops in China While Tenet Drops in US](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mulan-box-office-flops-china-tenet-drops/?amp)** > > Disney’s Mulan falls below expectations in the Chinese market it was tailored for while the Tenet box office struggles with numbers in North America. ---
**Author:** ![CarlonSt32](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlonst32/32/4759_2.png) [@CarlonSt32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarlonSt32)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/18 "2020-09-15T07:46:39Z")
Wow. You liked it so much. I used to pretty negative reactions on any remakes, especially if we are talking about Disney cartoons. Anyway, after your review I’d like to watch this. ---
**Author:** ![BigDfromLA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@BigDfromLA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigDfromLA)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/19 "2020-09-15T08:45:11Z")
Will there be a live action Moana? That would be interesting. I liked the live action Aladdin. The actress who played Jasmine was excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879/20 "2020-09-15T09:56:20Z")
Reading a few reviews by actual Chinese-born reviewers it seems that Disney completely messed up the script, apparently it wasn’t accurate at all especially to the people’s and regions depicted and was just generic CHINA, the review I read compared it to if in Goodfellas the mobsters spoke in Californian Surfer accents and drove Harley’s around. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mulan-2020/919879.md?page=2)