Rachel Caroline

After catching Mulan at the theatres, I was very pleased with Disney's live-action remake of this classic film. Following the movie, I was personally disappointed that a number of people expected it to follow closely to the animated version and hence, gave a low/bad review. I respect everyone's own view of the remake, and just by observing the trailer alone, I think it is appropriate to say to potential viewers to NOT expect this to follow the animated film closely (i.e.: no humourous dragon or grandma, no singing, except in the credits, no love interest). I am not going to summarise what the movie is about, the storyline is still pretty much the same except that it provides viewers a deeper look into the Asian culture. Yes, one can say that it focus too much on the stereotypical Asian culture such as Family, Honour, being filial and "women are to be seen, not heard" and etc. In the animated version, Disney barely scratched the surface on explaining the Asian culture to viewers, and of course since it is mainly meant to be a kids show, doing so might seem too serious for a cartoon. I felt the remake went a little further into emphasising these stereotypes because as an Asian person, I can relate to these stereotypes and I am sure many other people who grew up in an Asian household can relate as well, so it seemed rather appropriate that the remake did not have the songs and wittiness we were used to, as that would divert the viewers to ignore the essence of Asian culture, some of which are portrayed in the adaptation, which brings viewers to see Mulan's character grow in the film from the circumstances she was brought up with and the issues she faced: 1. Being taught to respect our parents and making choices to save face for our family (I.e. bringing honour); 2. Family is one of the core "values" taught when we were young; 3. Being a good wife (this makes sense for me, but I personally feel that women should be treated as equals in the relationship, not just as a woman that listens to her husband only); and 4. Fighting is a man's job, not a woman. Not limited to Asian soldiers but in terms of fighting, women were more of caretakers rather than soldiers back in the days. Now of course, we have many strong and successful women soldiers and leaders. These stereotypes are better understood by learning about them and how one can relate to them to the remake. All in all, I enjoyed how the adaptation showcases Asian culture in a more serious tone. The sets and production were wonderfully shot with great actors and actresses. There was so much potential to develop each characters a little more, but it would be too lengthy and may end up spoiling the film altogether. I hope that understanding and learning about one's culture and values can lead to a deeper appreciation for this film.