Read on Twitter
There is so much dislike about this movie.
There is nothing redeemable about it, but instead I just wanna focus on some of the more egregious themes.
SPOILERS!
There is nothing redeemable about it, but instead I just wanna focus on some of the more egregious themes.
SPOILERS!
I know this was based on the original ballad and not the '98 animation, and I have no idea how to accurately describe the movie's failures at articulating the nuances of traditional Chinese virtues because I'm not familiar with the culture, but still....
The movie struck me as nothing but an attempt to target the PRC market instead of earnestly exploring anything about that culture.
The portrayal of filial piety here was mechanical and sanctimonious.
The dialogue was Zuko porn. Endless lines about "honor" and "disgrace".
It sounded like a tone-deaf Hollywood executive's cringeworthy idea of what would appeal to Chinese audiences
The dialogue was Zuko porn. Endless lines about "honor" and "disgrace".
It sounded like a tone-deaf Hollywood executive's cringeworthy idea of what would appeal to Chinese audiences
Before we jump into the themes, we gotta begin with the titular character herself.
This isn't the Mulan we knew. Nor should we have expected it to be, but she is instead someone who contradicts nearly everything that made the former so relatable.
This isn't the Mulan we knew. Nor should we have expected it to be, but she is instead someone who contradicts nearly everything that made the former so relatable.
In this iteration, she starts of as a paragon of honor and virtue. And apparently, a martial arts prodigy due to her "qi".
Prodigy is actually putting it lightly. There was a point in the movie where I thought she was going to repel a catapult missile with a flying kick.
Prodigy is actually putting it lightly. There was a point in the movie where I thought she was going to repel a catapult missile with a flying kick.
Again, I know I'm not supposed to make comparisons to her animated counterpart, but this Mulan stands in such stark contrast to what she represented that I think we need to go there for a bit.
The 1998 Mulan was an outsider whose tomboyish demeanor made her feel unwelcome in the society around her.
When she takes her father's place, goes through military training, defeats the Huns and saves the emperor, that's all the result of her unapologetic, unconquerable spirit in defiance of the patriarchy's norms.
In this version, every single one of those feats is done so with the express permission of the patriarchy.
In training, exercising her duty as a soldier, even saving the Emperor himself, there's always a man there going 'u got this', 'u are a mighty warrior' etc.
Almost as if to say misogyny was never a big problem in the first place and the more severe crime here was Mulan's deceit.
Almost as if to say misogyny was never a big problem in the first place and the more severe crime here was Mulan's deceit.
Mulan herself is just drifting through this movie wracked with guilt over her betrayal of her sword's motto of 'loyalty, bravery and truth'.
Hell, the chauvinism is so blatant that she LITERALLY says she would rather be executed after being revealed as a woman instead of risking the dishonor of expulsion.
However, what really showcased just how sanctimonious this movie is was her interaction with Xianniang.
However, what really showcased just how sanctimonious this movie is was her interaction with Xianniang.
One of the main antagonists of the movie.
She's a "witch" who was scorned for being who she was and resorted to allying herself with nomadic invaders in order to oust the emperor and create a new world where she would be accepted.
She's a "witch" who was scorned for being who she was and resorted to allying herself with nomadic invaders in order to oust the emperor and create a new world where she would be accepted.
This movie would've been far more interesting if it chose to be about the relationship between Mulan and Xianniang.
Instead, the ENTIRETY of their interactions are literally just Xianniang relating to Mulan and Mulan telling her that she's not on the "noble path" but that it wasn't too late for her to repent. https://twitter.com/XiranJayZhao/status/1302384886913724417
Which she promptly does, and DIES, in the third act because apparently, seeing a fellow woman leading a group of men into battle proves she was wrong and the only way she could make up for it was to take an arrow for Mulan. https://twitter.com/XiranJayZhao/status/1302391378266091521
This movie has all the subtlety of Mel Gibson's The Patriot and the pontification of Gods and Generals.
This wasn't any kind of unique take on the Ballad of Hua Mulan. This was borderline state propaganda with a splash of nice visuals.
Don't give this movie any money. Torrent it just to make fun of it.
Don't give this movie any money. Torrent it just to make fun of it.
Side note: Calling it propaganda is no exaggeration when you realize the production of the movie included involvement from four CCP propaganda depts and the Public Security Bureau in XInjiang. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/09/07/why-disneys-new-mulan-is-scandal/
Disney didn't need to shoot here, but they've been trying to get back in the CCP's good graces ever since releasing a movie glorifying the Dalai Lama in 1998.
They made a conscious choice to normalize one of the worst ongoing human rights abuses in the world right now.
They made a conscious choice to normalize one of the worst ongoing human rights abuses in the world right now.
