307. Mulan; movie review

 

 

MULAN

Cert 12A

115 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence

I am rather surprised that I can't recall the Dinsey animation of Mulan because it was released when our children were under ten.

However, Miss W was never a fan of cartoons and I can only think it was scorned by Master W because its central character was a girl.

I know, I know - he is not as shallow at 30 as he was at five, thank goodness.

Or maybe I have seen it and it has slipped in the dark recesses of my mind, alongside scores of average movies.

Anyway, I can't imagine it being as tepid as Niki Caro's remake which is among the rash of Disney live-action updates.

Don't get me wrong - Mulan's heart is in the right place but its acting is so stiff and its outcome is so predictable and lacks the key ingredients of quality Disney pictures - fun and music.

Thus, we have the tale of the Chinese daughter of honourable parents who believe her role should be as home-maker while she wats to fight for the empire.

Liu Yifei plays the title role and is in almost every scene in the movie.

On the physical side, she is just about believable as a young soldier who never takes a shower for fear of revealing her true identity.

But I'm afraid her presentation of the film's pretty unambitious dialogue was stiff to put it kindly.

At the heart if Caro's film is the story of female emancipation through Mulan proving that she is better than any man in terms of courage and intellect.

She has to prove this to her father (Tzi Ma) and army commander (Donnie Yen) as well as her battalion comrades.

Meanwhile, she has to see off Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee), a warrior leader intent on avenging his father's death and his ally, the changeling witch Xianniang (Gong Li).

She achieves all of the above by power and stealth in battle and a pure and loyal heart.

Meanwhile, Mulan notices up a bigger number of kills than any of the studio's previous heroes by far.

Those who want to see villains turn into eagles or heroes ascend walls like fast cats will be sated.

But, in common with the other live-action Disney remakes, Mulan lacks the memorable tunes and fun of the studio's animations as well as one crucial factor - charm.

Reasons to watch: Big budget Disney remake

Reasons to avoid: Doesn't have the charm of the animation

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? The earliest story of the character is the Ballad of Mulan, from the 6th century. There are different variations – in one of the darker ones, Legends from Sui and Tang, Mulan is rewarded for bravery in battle despite being found out. As she returns with her riches to her family, she finds out her dad has died. She gets an order from the Emperor to become his concubine – so she kills herself.

The final word. Niki Caro: "We went all the way back to the Ballad of Mulan and were inspired by that. It was certainly very important to me to bring iconic elements from the beloved animation to the live-action, but what we’re trying to do here is make something very new not just new in terms of the Mulan story but new in terms of the Disney story." Film School Rejects

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