Hit or miss, live action “Mulan” does not please everyone

courtesy of Instagram (@Disney)
Disney’s latest live action version of a beloved animated feature has become controversial.
Live action “Mulan” premiered on Disney+ due to the pandemic and it sparked a controversy.
The 1989 “Mulan” is a movie with a powerful meaning. It is not only powerful, but it includes a bit of everything, such as comedy and musicals. This movie has easily become a Disney fan favorite.
The new live action “Mulan” is unfortunately not a shot-for-shot remake. As you may know, “Mulan” (2020) is missing essential elements from the animated movie. These essential elements include Mushu, Mulan’s self-appointed dragon guide, and Captain Li Shang, Mulan’s love interest. It is instead replaced with a sister who has no purpose, a phoenix that doesn’t do much but look pretty, and a new villain Xian Liang, a witch who helps Bori Khan.
Throughout the movie, the comedic relief by Mushu is missed — the witty jokes he would make as well as being loyal to Mulan. Although he is not the main character, Mushu quickly became a fan favorite. Not only is Mushu missed, but also the musical numbers throughout the film. You miss singing along to all the songs. “Mulan” the movie, is not “Mulan” without the musicals. The 1989 film was the first Disney princess movie to incorporate musicals which was risky, but in the end, it was worth the risk, because it is an amazing movie and it paved the way for further Disney princess musicals.
Not only has this movie not lived up to the 1989 “Mulan,” but it also caused a controversy in China. This controversy rose when lead actress “Crystal” Liu Yefei, Chinese-born, naturalized-American, declared her support for Hong Kong police after they committed acts of brutality against Hong Kong protesters last year. There has also been an ongoing assault on democracy in Hong Kong, which has dominated international headlines. There have been several arrests of pro-democracy activists, newspaper editors, and government legislators. Not only did her support cause the controversy, but considering part of the movie was filmed in Xinjiang, this also caused commotion. Xinjiang is accused of persecuting Muslims by the Chinese government. In the movie’s credits, Disney thanked Xinjiang authorities. Obviously, this caused controversy which called for the boycott of the 2020 movie.
Although it is not the worst movie, I would not say it is the best, especially because I am a lover of the 1989 film. There are certain scenes that are enjoyable to watch in the remake. I would definitely recommend watching the live action “Mulan” movie, so you can give it your own opinion and see why the movie is different yet similar.

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Nicholas Ruiz • Oct 22, 2020 at 3:58 pm
I didn’t want to watch this movie right after I heard Mushu wasn’t in the movie. When the movie finally came out, I heard some reviews which made it sound more of an action/wartime movie than the comedy/drama the original was . It was pretty disappointing really.
steve garcia • Oct 21, 2020 at 11:42 am
Yeah this movie doesn’t appeal to us since it isn’t as comedic as the animated. also you have to pay it, making it a bad deal to pay for a bad movie. The actor also doesn’t even show emotions in that film. that film really doesn’t appeal everyone
Sonia Robles • Oct 21, 2020 at 11:36 am
Mulan is definitely one of my favorite movies so I was disappointed it was going to miss key elements like Mushu and Captain Li Shang like you mentioned. I really enjoyed your article because you explained very well the controversy around it and why it wasn’t that appealing considering how great the first movie was and how it didn’t feel similar enough. Great Job!
Julie Nguyen • Oct 20, 2020 at 8:54 pm
I personally haven’t seen the new live action remake of the new movie “Mulan” (2020) or heard much about it. However, I’m now debating to watch it after finding out Mushu and Captain Li Shang aren’t in the movie considering they played key roles and further brought the movie together. Not to mention, Mushu is one of my favorite characters from the movie and is like the cherry on top. I also think it’s interesting how some scenes and the lead actress from the movie are controversial. Thank you, for giving insight on the movie!
Mr. Voight • Oct 18, 2020 at 10:59 pm
I agree with your review. It definitely missed the comic relief from the original..