Mulan
Ratings: 3.5/5
Duration: 1 Hr 55 Mins
Director: Niki Caro
Genre: Action, Drama, Adventure
Release Date: 04th September 2020 (India)
Streaming On: Disney+ Hotstar
Star cast: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Li Gong, Jet Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Tzi Ma, Rosalind Chao, Pei-Pei Cheng, Xana Tang, Ron Yuan, Jun Yu, Chen Tang, Doua Moua, Jimmy Wong, Nelson Lee, Hoon Lee, Crystal Rao, Elena Askin, Vincent Feng, R.J. O'Young, Roger Yuan, Jenson Cheng, Arka Das, Jen Sung, King Lau, Zhaidarbek Kunguzhinov, Gary Young, Wolf Chen, Owen Kwong, Jo Lo, Heidi Chen, Michael Chun Long Yip, Peter Qi, Jia Yang, Dante Pang, Young-H. Lee, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Chum Ehelepola, Mary Wong, Audrey Chan, Jasmine Zhou, Elizabeth Quan Shang, K.Y. Chan, David T. Lim, Jackie Cheng, Cindy Choi, Kenneth De Abrew, Adrian Dev, Jay Neal, Nicholas Walker
Plot: Mulan is blessed with a special energy or 'chi' but as a woman centuries ago, she is told it is her duty to bring honor through marriage. Hence, when she gets older her father experiences the heartrending pain of having to overlook his daughter's skills just because she is a girl.
Nevertheless, the fearless young woman disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s spot who is serving in the Chinese Army to battle the northern invaders in China.
Will she be able to strike a balance between embracing her abilities and honoring her family, forms the rest of the story.
Review: Director Niki Caro has come up with this live-action remake of the 1998 Disney animation Mulan which almost seems like a grown-up period drama. Though the movie is entertaining and is straightforwardly a ‘glossy action-adventure’ from the Disney workshop, the film's portrayal of female empowerment, bravery, and devotion towards family are particularly moving.
It is the most expensive film, ever to have a female director. And the first Disney film to have an entirely Asian and Asian-American cast. Niki Caro’s 'Mulan' is without a doubt one of the best of the remakes.
As far as the technical aspects are concerned, the movie is stunning to look at, from the beginning till the end. It is visually grand; with bright colors, grand scenery, and commendable themes - the crisp landscapes are shot by cinematographer Mandy Walker, the brightly colored and divinely intricate costumes are by Bina Daigeler.
Special mention to Liu Yifei for the amazing portrayal of Mulan, which certainly was a tremendous challenge. Even the battle scenes are very well managed, as watchable and exciting as anything else in the film.
It is abundantly evident that Niki had a grand and sweeping vision for Mulan, and for the most of the part she pulls it off. However, ‘Mulan’ - the family-friendly drama falters on the story level, feels slightly rushed, overlong, and oddly light on character development.
Overall, with spectacular action and dynamic lead, this Disney’s live-action film Mulan, updates the original, in surprising mostly-effective ways, while still maintaining the spirit of its predecessor.
