Mulan: A Warrior
By: Nadia Castro
Starting in 2015, iconic Disney animated movies transformed into live action films. Before the pandemic, the remake of Mulan was going to be the highlight of the year until it was postponed. Since then, Disney announced that the movie would be available for people subscribed to Disney+ with a premiere access fee of $30. As a person who has a subscription to Disney+, I find it absurd that you have to pay extra for a film that is going to be on there, yet you are able to see this film on December 4, 2020 for free. I decided to pay the extra fee, being optimistic about what the film has to offer.
It has already been reported that Mulan will exclude the tradition of Disney musicals and give more action-based scenes. Many fans, including myself, were concerned when it was announced neither the lead male character, Li Shang, nor Mushu, who was played by Eddie Murphy, were going to be in the live action adaptation, was not going to be in the film. I also noticed that there was not a dramatic scene of Mulan cutting off her hair. I did not quite mind that since it didn’t seem to matter if her hair was cut or not since it went in a bun. So, what will the movie contain if many parts are taken out?
Women empowerment is what this movie contains. The movie seemed to be based around one sentence, 'Know your place' as it is said throughout the entire movie. As Mulan grew up, she didn’t know where she belonged because she was told to hide who she was. In order to bring honor to her family she must be arranged with a man by the matchmaker for marriage. However, Mulan’s mother doubts this will happen if she doesn’t start acting like a true woman. Within the movie we see she is a fierce warrior and has what is known as chi.
The theme in this movie is displayed when Mulan channels her chi that only the warriors are supposed to have, not daughters. The power of Yin and Yang that channels natural energy around you. As she takes her father's place and begins military training her chi begins to fail her and she struggles with one of the virtues, truth. She is hiding her true self from the world as her father narrates when she leaves, he should have taught her to silence herself in the world of men.
Even though some characters were taken out of this film remake, an interesting character was added. A female villain named Xianniang, who the film explains is a witch and warrior. I liked this add in because her character brought female empowerment which seemed like another recurring theme in the film.
She was depicted as a villain in the beginning, but her story developed into wanting to be recognized more than a witch. The interesting part that took place was that Xianniang was the shadow behind Bori Kahn, the main villain, which the film states that there's always a powerful female behind a man. Toward the end of the film, Xianniang sacrificed herself in order for Mulan to fight to save the Emperor, but not before telling Bori Kahn, “A woman. A warrior [leads the army]”.
This film has many martial art scenes like Donnie Yen, martial artist and Hong Kong's top action actor, starring as Commander Tung, displayed a hypnotizing sword scene in front of the troops. Director, Niki Caro, wanted to make this movie entertaining through the martial arts and true to the ballad of Mulan. It seemed as if a couple of the fight’s scenes were cut short, but were still great to watch.
During the training montages and war sequences, there is subtle instrumental background music that is linked to the favorite songs, "I’ll Make a Man Out of You" and "Reflection". Yes, we did miss out on what could have been Li Shang starting to like Mulan. Instead, Yoso An plays a substitute of that original character becoming friends with Mulan at the end of the film.
Throughout the movie it appears that he could have known she was a woman all along from the side glances he gives. Speaking of substitute, appeared that an animated character was brought about, but this one does not have a slithering tongue. The Phoenix is an emissary of their ancestors, as the father states in the movie, and helps Mulan through her journey showing the path she must take.
This film was not like the original film, but in a good way because we received a realistic women empowering action thriller movie. For the women out there, take your place as a warrior because you'll bring honor to this world.