I Can’t Make a Remake Out of You
Introduction
Mulan is the 2020 remake of the beloved animated Disney classic and is directed by Niki Caro. This was the first theatrical film to be released on Disney Plus due to low turnout at cinemas in the year of COVID 19. That being said, I can safely say this would have been better off in cinemas.
Setting and Plot
The plot of Mulan revolves around the journey of the titular character as she defies tradition and disguises herself as a man in order to join the Chinese army to battle the Rourans in place of her sick father. She eventually proves her worth enough to remove her guise and fight as a woman alongside the army. What makes Mulan so special is that she broke from traditional norms to fight for her family and country at a time when being a woman in the army was forbidden.
The Original Animation
The original animation had some additional elements for humour, including Mushu, the small and protective dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy, who guides Mulan on her quest. Then there is also Cri-Kee, a “lucky” cricket who gets wrapped up in this whole mess.
The original was also praised for its fantastic score. ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You‘ written by Donny Osmond became a hit and is still sung by many to this very day.
The Remake, on the other hand, takes itself very seriously and does away with all musical numbers and the talking dragons, instead attempting to adopt the mantle of a martial arts epic. The plot overall remains the same with a few exceptions.
Changes to the Formula
In the Remake, there is the inclusion of a magical force in this universe called chi. In real life Chi is based of the Chinese belief of having a vital energy within oneself, and is often referenced within Chinese medicine and martial arts. In this depiction, chi grants skilled wielders Jedi-like powers and movements. Watching a young Mulan flipping around the village chasing after a chicken gives flashbacks of Rey’s power creep from the sequel Star Wars Trilogy. In this version, Mulan is forced to hide her gifts from society in order to protect her family’s honour.
Another change is that the Huns from the original animation were replaced with the somewhat more historically accurate Rourans. The Rourans are a mystical group of ninja Mongols who, as that description might suggest, have an extreme flair for the dramatic. Their leader, Bori Khan, played by Jason Scott Lee, also shares this panache. They also are accompanied by a shape-shifting witch who, while acting as their chief strategist and the backbone of their entire operation, is nonetheless treated like garbage because she is a girl. I wonder who is going to change sides later on…
In the Remake, Mushu the colourful dragon was replaced by a silent soaring phoenix as Mulan’s guardian, which I constantly mistook for a kite due to its plastic appearance. Its appearances, though symbolic, often made the film feel very corny.
Narratively speaking, as you might have guessed, I was not too impressed! The serious characterisation and the overly bombastic portrayal of Chi just don’t mix well together. In particular, making Mulan special from the very beginning also removes the uphill climb for her to become special. This lack of urgency or self-betterment strips the character from her journey turning her into a stereotypical Mary Sue.
Choreography and Action Scenes
What this film lacks in narrative, it makes up for with cinematography and action sequences. The film takes inspiration from classical martial art flicks such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and incorporates wiring onto the characters to make them soar between rooftops and give the fights scenes a mystical edge. The acrobatic performances did provide the film with a lot of entertainment value but also made several moments seem silly. The most obvious example is Mulan’s spear flip kick, where she would disarm her opponent by kicking their weapon out of their grasp, followed by launching it back at them with a mid-air kick.
I especially loved the horse-riding scene when Mulan’s unit gave chase to a retreating group of Mongols. Watching Mulan break through enemy ranks to chase while Matrix-dodging their arrows while on horseback was a thrilling sight to behold. The Rorauns’ horse acrobatics were also a delight to watch in that scene in particular
Performances
I generally liked Mulan’s actress Liu Yifei, and I feel she did her best with this film’s vision of the character. One of my favourite shots was when she is being prepared to meet the matchmaker and her eyes were following the make-up brushes. I also enjoyed her scuffles with her fellow soldier, Chen Honghui, played by Mortal Engine’s actor Yoson An.
I found that while Donnie Yen did play a very convincing Commander Tung in the movie, something about the narrative made his decisions seem irrelevant, having him change his mind too easily without consequence for me not to take notice.
Conclusions
Mulan makes several attempts in its effort to be a good film. However, it is weighed down by several narrative and tonal inconsistencies. These problems continue to break one’s immersion and ruin the overall feeling of the movie, resulting in this movie never becoming the remake that it was meant to be.
