Movie review: Mulan redeems Disney’s lust for remakes

By Katherine Monk

I wasn’t too sure what was going on in the branded Disney boardroom when they decided the best way to move forward was to move backward — and remake original movies from their own catalogue. From updating beloved classics for a new generation to recasting hand drawn cartoons as living humans, Disney has recycled large swaths of its monolithic catalogue in such titles as Jungle Book and Doctor Doolittle, to recent outings such as the live-action Lion King, and this week’s unveiling of the long-awaited live action Mulan.

Hard to believe it’s been 22 years since the original animated film proved the Mouse House could recreate the aesthetics of heroism. From handsome princes with chiselled jaws chasing down fire-breathing dragons, we ventured into a new world altogether — ancient China — where we learn of a legend named Mulan.

Born to a warrior father injured in the last great war between rival territories, Mulan is blessed with a big spirit and powerful chi — the energy of the body, or what George Lucas would’ve called The Force. Though she’s a natural athlete and a fighter, Mulan wants to honour her family by getting married and doing what women were supposed to do in the old days — make babies and keep house. Yet, things don’t go well at the matchmaker, and Mulan could be an old maid, were it not for the mixed blessing of a new war.

The emperor’s unified lands are under assault, and a man from every family is conscripted to fight. Mulan, however, has no brothers — and her father is handicapped from a war injury. Knowing he will die if he goes to war, Mulan steals his sword, armour and conscription notice — and ventures off to enlist, concealing her gender.

It’s a ruse with dire consequences. The penalty for dishonesty is expulsion and humiliation. The penalty for desertion is death. Yet, Hua Mulan adopts the name of Hua Jun — a boy name — and dedicates herself to being the best soldier possible. She impresses her commanders with her abilities, but her buddies in the corps are confused by Hua Jun’s need for privacy and standoffish nature. She’d love to be an army of one, but the big lesson in this live-action movie — more so even than the cartoon — is that we need each other.

Sure, Mulan is like a super hero capable of taking out a dozen bad guys on her own, but she can’t beat an army single-handed. She needs the support of others if she is going to win the war — which means she can’t just think about her own problems. That said, she is a teenage girl.

Sure, Mulan is like a super hero capable of taking out a dozen bad guys on her own, but she can’t beat an army single-handed. She needs the support of others if she is going to win the war — which means she can’t just think about her own problems. That said, she is a teenage girl.

This is where this live action film from Niki Caro (Whale Rider) finds extra dimension as she guides lead actor Yifei Liu through an action-packed coming-of-age story, complete with romantic desire.

Because the human performances can be far more nuanced, we get a sense of the real person who inspired the timeless legend. We also get a little bit more suspense because the action sequences are happening in real space — giving Caro a chance to fuse the corporate spectacle of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with a decidedly female drama.

Perhaps, that’s the most inspiring thing about this nascent revision of Disney’s library: They are re-telling familiar stories from a slightly different perspective, and in the process, re-defining the essence of what it means to be a hero. It’s not always about slaying dragons and winning the princess. Sometimes, it’s about something far more difficult: Embracing who you truly are.

@katherinemonk

To read more of Katherine’s reviews, check out the Ex-Press archive, or sample career work at Rotten Tomatoes. 

THE EX-PRESS, September 4, 2020

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