Chie Nguyen

To best sum up my thoughts on Mulan 2020: oversimplified character development and underwhelming presentation of East Asian/Chinese culture and history. I will not say much about the multiple inaccuracies in the film. I am not even a Chinese citizen nor of Chinese descent, but I can still spot a handful of incorrect details throughout the movie. Bare in mind that what you see on screen is not by any means a reliable benchmark for the culture it is supposed to represent. Now, leaving the culture aspect aside and just focus on entertainment and storytelling. The visual is stunning, as expected from a Disney production. The fight scenes are definitely not on par with those in Asian-produced movies about martial arts, but are still acceptable considering that this movie is family-friendly. The biggest disappointment for me is the character development, not only for Mulan but also for other key characters. Mulan's love interest and the trio did not hold any weight in the plot. What could have been a beautiful tale of loyalty and friendship (and love, even) beyond boundaries is completely watered down in this live action. The change of heart for Gong Li's 'witch' is also explained very half-heartedly. All the elements that made the original tale and the animated version great are almost stripped off in this remake, leaving space for Western, modern feminist, 'be-who-you-are" narrative. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with inserting progressive messages in this inspiring movie. However, the filmmakers should have done so with more subtlety, considering the historical context in which the movie takes place. As for acting. Well, it is quite subjective, isn't it? Each person will have their own take on what is good acting and what not. In my opinion, the leading actress Liu Yifei lacks depth in her performance. She had some good moments but the overall performance is mediocre at best. With a high-profile, all-Asian cast and an inspiring original material from China, Mulan had so much potential to bring honour to the East Asian culture on the Hollywood scene. However, the movie turned out to be a big shame.