Month: November 2020

Mulan (Yifei Liu) plays many roles, when she takes her father’s place during a Rouran invasion.

MULAN 2020

Film Review by Marlene Ardoin

The one issue that has been bothering me is why the live action “Mulan” 2020 is rejected, while the animated “Mulan” was embraced by the Chinese.

Many reasons were given, but they all seem superficial to me.

The young actress, Yifei Liu, who plays Mulan, was the center of a Mulan boycott, because during the Hong Kong riots she tweeted, “I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong.” She just seems upset, because Hong Kong was being damaged.

(Hong Kong’s political stalemate would be to transition the appointed chief executive position into a legislature-elected mayor of Hong Kong won by a female leader, Carrie Lam. The demonstrations ended when the Coronavirus took hold.)

Disney really wanted Mulan to be a success in China, to the extent of allowing the Chinese government to approve the script. While all the actors are Chinese, the creative team, was not, which was another reason the film was criticized.

The film’s director was New Zealander Niki Caro, and the writers were three women and a man. It is safe to say that this film is strongly from a female point of view.

Critics did not like where Mulan was filmed, in China, where Muslims were rounded up. They did not like the image of the phoenix. They did not like the look of Mulan’s love interest, Yoson An. They did not like the character, nicknamed Cricket. They did not like the choice of Cheng Pei-pei, as the matchmaker, because the role was below her ability. They did not like Mulan’s round, communal home, a Tulou, because it was not the right era. And, last but not least, there was no singing in Mulan 2020, like in the animated version.

I have watched both the live Mulan and the animated Mulan several times, but I cannot figure it out. I loved them both. Eddie Murphy was great as the insecure dragon, with a sidekick, the lucky cricket.

The live Mulan had humor, but its strength was more in its beauty. I thought the mythical phoenix against the full moon was gorgeous. And, Mulan, herself was more beautiful, especially when contrasted with her more status quo, sister, who accepts an arranged marriage as normal.

In the animated version, Mulan’s father prays to the ancestors that Mulan will be matched. In the live Mulan 2020, Mulan’s father prays to the phoenix that Mulan will be protected on her journey.

In the animated film, the point is made several times that women are not allowed to speak in front of men. In the live Mulan, her father takes pride in Mulan’s qi and skill, but is coerced by the community to have Mulan hide her abilities.

Could it be that the live Mulan 2020 was challenging the Chinese status quo?

The One-child policy in China revealed the preference of male over female offspring. Daughters were unwanted. But, those who chose to keep their one daughter, poured a lot of energy into educating that daughter. Surprisingly, in a land where men outnumber women (114 to 100), China has 61% of all self-made female billionaires in the world.

It is only in the last decade, that Chinese authorities moved to close down factories that manufactured shoes used in foot binding. Tiny feet meant that they did not have to work.

Those women, who do work, make about 8% less than men for the same work, on top of being sexually harassed on the job. About 25 to 40% of Chinese women experience domestic violence in the home. Single women are also priced out of buying property.

In conclusion, the live Mulan 2020, has not one successful woman, but two, Mulan and Xianniang (Gong Li). Maybe this was just too much for the Chinese status quo.

During the pandemic, Mulan 2020, made 70 million dollars in the box office, plus 35.5 million on Disney Plus, which to date equals 105.5 million dollars. Not bad for a lame duck movie, during a pandemic, which was also heavily pirated in China.

I feel that Mulan 2020 is a call for a healing in male/female relationships in the world, not just in China.

Disney’s live Mulan is set to be free with a Disney Plus subscription on Dec. 4, 2020. You can watch the animated Mulan below for free. I hope you get to see both the animated and the live Mulan 2020. Enjoy.

Mulan Full animated Movie HD (with a few breaks in the dialogue) 1998:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKweNJ3HsOo

Mulan practicing qi with her father’s sword. Xianniang (Gong Li), practicing advanced qi.

Cast

Yifei Liuas Mulan, the eldest daughter of Hua Zhou who defies both tradition and the law by disguising herself as a man by the name of Hua Jun in order to enlist herself in the Imperial Army in place of her ailing father.^[6]
- Liu reprised her role in the Mandarin-languagedubbing of the movie.^[7]
- Crystal Rao portrays a young Mulan.
Donnie Yenas Commander Tung, the high ranking leader of the Imperial Army and mentor to Mulan.^[8] Both Tung and Chen are based on Li Shang from the animated film.^[9]
Jason Scott Leeas Böri Khan, a Rouran^[9] warrior leader intent on avenging his father’s death. Khan is based on Shan Yu from the animated film.^[10]
Yoson An^[10]as Chen Honghui, a confident and ambitious recruit who joins Commander Tung’s unit, and becomes Mulan’s ally and love interest.^[11] Both Chen and Tung are based on Li Shang from the animated film.^[9]
Gong Lias Xianniang,^[10] a powerful witch with shapeshifting abilities and an ally of Böri Khan.^[12]
- Gong reprised her role in the Mandarin-language dubbing of the movie.^[7]
Jet Lias The Emperor of China, a wise benevolent ruler of China who orders the mobilization of troops via the conscription of one man from each household to fight the invading Rouran army.^[13]
- Li reprised his role in the Mandarin-language dubbing of the movie.^[7]
Tzi Maas Hua Zhou, Mulan’s father and a famed war veteran, who is now recalled to the Imperial Army despite his frail health.^[14]
Rosalind Chaoas Hua Li, Mulan’s mother and Zhou’s wife.^[14]
Xana Tang as Hua Xiu, Mulan’s younger sister.^[12]The character was added to the film’s plot because the filmmakers felt that “this added a broader emotional context and added more motivation for [Mulan’s] character”.^[9]
Ron Yuanas Sergeant Qiang, the fiercely loyal second in command of the Imperial Regiment.^[15]
Jun Yu as Cricket, a hapless recruit who joins Commander Tung’s unit. Cricket is based on Cri-Kee, a cricket from the animated film.^[16][9]
Jimmy Wongas Ling, a recruit who joins Commander Tung’s unit.^[17]
Chen Tangas Yao, a gruff recruit who joins Commander Tung’s unit.^[18]
Doua Mouaas Chien-Po, a recruit who joins Commander Tung’s unit.^[17]
Nelson Leeas The Chancellor, a member of the Emperor’s council in charge of conscripting new recruits to join the Imperial army. The Chancellor is based on Chi-Fu from the animated film.^[19]
Cheng Pei-pei^[20]as the Matchmaker
- Cheng reprised her role in the Mandarin-language dubbing of the movie.^[7]
Arka Das as Red Fez, who is possessed by Xianniang to enter a palace which she and Böri Khan conquer^[21]

Additionally, Ming-Na Wen, the original voice of Mulan in the animated film and its sequel, cameos as an esteemed guest who introduces Mulan to the Emperor.^[22] Utkarsh Ambudkar and Chum Ehelepola were cast as Skatch and Ramtish, a couple of con artists,^[11] but their roles were cut from the final film.

New Zealander Niki Caro was hired as the director of the film, which made Mulan the second Disney film with a female director and a budget above $100 million following A Wrinkle in Time.^[31]

Screenplay by

· Rick Jaffa
Amanda Silver· Lauren Hynek· Elizabeth Martin