Movie Review: Disney's Mulan (Disney+ Exclusive)

Watching the live action version of this Disney classic honestly made me feel nostalgic (like all Disney movies do), but I’d say it was nice to finally see an updated representation of Chinese history. There are a lot of differences that I could point out and talk about in great detail (and I will share a couple of the most obvious ones), but I’ll let you find those things for yourself. 

To start out with, I’ll say that the most interesting thing I’ve found out through my research is that the name Fa Mulan (as said in the 1998 version) comes from the Mandarin language. In the 2020 version however, it’s explicitly stated that her name is Hua Mulan, which is Cantonese. 

The story of Mulan dates back thousands of years ago, and before Disney premiered the animated version we all know and love, it started out as a poem (Ballad of Mulan). There have been other plays and books written about this as well, and while it’s no surprise that most of you reading probably hold a bias towards the animated movie, I think it would be interesting to see what else you can find and just do a little digging about how this all started. 

One of the most notable differences within the new movie and the old one is that there is no Mushu, so if you came into this movie expecting a talking dragon, then I’m sorry to disappoint you on that. There’s also no sing-along songs like there typically are, but the musical score does incorporate those familiar tunes instrumentally since we know it wouldn’t be a Disney film without them (make sure to pay close attention to the background music to hear it!). 

If for some reason you haven’t watched the new movie, I’d advise you to click off of this post and get right on it! I think you’ll be amazed by how much effort was put into honoring the Chinese culture because that’s exactly how I felt when watching it. Another difference that I’ll share is that there have been a couple other character cuts to fit within the realism behind the movie. Of course, you’ll have to see and pick those out for yourself. 

I feel like my Asian background has led me to greatly appreciate the remake of this movie in particular, so I really enjoyed it. Of course, it’s not going to top the animated version because that version is a classic, but overall, I have no complaints.