Mulan

A bland and emotionless remake of a Disney classic. - 3/10

by The Movie Inspector

Where do I even start? I think this is what you end up with when you try to be too politically correct without even putting a shred of effort into basic storytelling. The result? A Beloved Disney classic turned into a cheap cash grab. Devoid of any music, comedy and wit, the movie is left with a dull and mismatched tone that quickly turns what was supposed to be a fun and brave adventure into a soulless one. ‘Mulan’ follows a young Chinese woman who disguises herself as a male warrior to save her ailing father from death in the army.

Ok so here’s the deal, Mulan’s entire story arc is butchered as her rise to become a warrior is never established, she simply turns into one in an instant. In the context of this story, our Mulan is a Mary Sue, a female character who is unjustifiably powerful without any character development. I won’t even discuss the female antagonist aka “witch” because she’s even more of an atrocity. As for the other characters, utterly disposable. 1998’s ‘Mulan’ is probably one of the best movies out there to highlight female empowerment, this on the other hand is one of the worst.

Mulan’s altruistic behavior may still be present in this remake but the character’s charm is completely nonexistent. I’ll give it plus points for not being a shot for shot remake like some other Disney projects (im looking at you Lion King) but it does take different detours and eventually reaches the same destination, only in a far less interesting manner. The dialogue and character exchanges are extremely cheesy. From a technical viewpoint, the fight scenes are poorly shot and the visual effects are hilarious. If you’re searching for some Disney magic then I suggest you just rewatch the original film instead. After all you can’t expect much from a movie lacking both heart and soul...

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