'Mulan' Review: Another Live Action-Disney Bore That Costs More
Oh to be a live-action Disney remake. Not having to worry about coming up with an original plot, giving all characters little to no depth, and adding a lackluster twist that in no way spices up the recreation to be worth the price of admission. Disney’s newest live-action remake Mulan is one in the same with all the other modern copycats. The large Disney budget can create stunning scenery, but the film itself bland, unnecessary, and doesn’t hold a candle to the original.
The themes of Mulan are a double-edged sword. While it is amazing to see the representation in a massive US blockbuster that with a feminist positive messaging, watching characters preaching undying loyalty to an imperial government is very off-putting for the times. There are moments when you want to cheer on Mulan as she challenges the patriarchal system in a badass way, while there are other times you have to cover your eyes as she pledges alliance to a known corrupt force. This is made painfully worse in the context that the film’s lead actress Yifei Liu vocally supports the police and government in the Hong Kong Protest.
It’s difficult to separate the politics from the themes of Mulan, but frankly, you don’t have to still dislike this film. As the Mulan’s greatest aspect of its powerful feminist messaging is watered down by its connection to loyalty with authoritarian policies, one is left to focus intensely on the film’s technical aspects. Unfortunately, a large majority of these technical features are bad and in the case of editing, it’s really really bad.
Taking place in Ancient China, Mulan tells the story of a young maiden who disobeys her societal norms by embracing her inner warrior. When an invading army threatens China, Mulan enlists in the army disguised as a male to take her aging fathers (Tzi Ma) place. Mulan serves her country under fear of death if she is caught as an imposter. The audience goes on a personal journey with Mulan, as she takes hold of her voice and breaks the barriers for other women around her.
The scenic design of the film is outstanding. The locations and costumes dazzle and are the roots of the positives in the film. The imagery of the film looks fantastic, which is why it’s a shame that the cinematography fails to always compliment the beauty being shown. The cinematography is a hit and miss throughout the runtime, occasionally being bafflingly boring while capturing such a stunning visual, then at times mustering up a creative angle that sends shivers down your spine. The inconsistency is massively frustrating as it weakens the film’s largest saving grace.
The effectiveness of the visuals is even bogged down more by the addition of nauseating special effects. In an attempt to pay homage to live-action Kung Fu film’s most of the action choreography is displayed in a similar vein. The film lacks the heart of these Kung Fu classics and relies on disastrous editing mixed with awkward special effects. Practical effects could have taken the film to a higher level, but instead, the film is left with many gawky moments that have already become memes and gifs on social media.
The biggest culprit in the film’s technical flaws is its overbearing editing. The editing team must have seen Bohemian Rhapsody’s egregious editing somehow pull out and Oscar win and sought to do the same. It is jarring without purpose and makes dramatic scenes comical. For Disney craving family-friendly perfection, its surprising to see how such a big factor was treated in such a horrendous way.
Beyond the technical features, the Mulan struggles with maintaining a balance between realism and bringing the cartoon to life. Director Niki Caro, dips both feet in the realism and cartoon pool and the results are deeply unsatisfying. The realism and the drama are half-baked but are committed enough that the film holds itself back from being fun. There are very few enjoyable moments in the feature and they constantly feel shoe-horned in. Whenever a character laughs at something intended to be comical, it is immensely over the top and comes off as a forced Disney laugh track.
A giant problem with Mulan and other live-action remakes is how painfully dry the second acts are once the excitement of comparison is gone and there are no stakes to be had. It’s easy to get caught up in making comparisons to the original film and seeing how they turned the magical animated world into a real one, but once that effects fades away you are left with a boring shell of story-telling. Never in Mulan do you worry about the ending and the fates of the characters you’re intended to love. Instead, you watch with a checklist seeing familiar things get over with as you drag to the end. The attempts to add spice to the story never are enough to regain interest and what’s left is a story with grand visuals with no excitement to match.
On paper, Liu might not be everyone’s Mulan, but the actress fills the Disney Princess magical slippers quite nicely. Not as rugged as the original Mulan, Liu’s version brings out the power in her femininty. It is less about her becoming a man and more about showing how strong being a woman is. Liu delivers wonderfully in the dramatic aspects of her role. Away from her family and hiding her truth, a majority of Mulan is an introspective on the character’s psyche. As she can’t exclaim her woes to other characters, audiences are left to find their analysis through Liu’s expressions and subtle lines of dialogue. Liu excels at this in moments of reflection and the film is able to gain its footing putting on its strongest traits. Liu struggles to find chemistry with actors other than Ma who plays her father, but the personal acting is a home run in every way.
Mulan like the other live-action remakes is a product of its time and will most likely get lost in the winds in the years to come. If the film is able to inspire young women, it will have done its job in a way that makes its flaws irrelevant. In this regard, I hope it finds its audience, but you can’t blame anyone for skipping the $30 rental and watching the far superior original instead.