#Cast of mulan rise of a warrior plus

It was a film that reflected the complexities of my upbringing as the half-Chinese daughter of a mainland Chinese immigrant growing up in the former British colony Hong Kong. Mulan the warrior may be able to scale walls and fend off the fiercest Rouran invaders, but even she’d be hard-pressed to make a cheap, straight-to-DVD sequel worth watching.I am still an unabashed lover of the 1998 cartoon. Otherwise, we may end up with another travesty like Mulan II. Still, here’s hoping Disney doesn’t decide to get franchise-happy and churn out a follow-up film.

Gong Li’s Xianniang is a new addition to Mulan, and one of the characters that actually gets real development.Īll that eye candy, however, leaves you hungry and wanting for more, with the emotional and character heft decidedly lacking. (For the record, I watched the film on my 32-inch computer monitor.) When the credits ended and I saw the note “Optimized for Imax Theaters,” it was a reminder of all that the coronavirus pandemic has taken away, including the opportunity to appreciate the visual splendor of this film on a proper big screen. Mulan’s wire work and swordplay and the battle set pieces are worthy of any action blockbuster, and hark back to old-school historical Chinese epics. Unlike the Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, this wasn’t a literal remake, with the filmmakers taking a far more serious tone and booting elements like the catchy songs and Mushu (although this film does have a more subtle stand-in for the dragon).Ĭaro, in particular, should be applauded for the film’s visual panache, from the sweeping shots of the gorgeous Chinese mountains to the suitably grand scenes of the imperial palace. It’s especially painful knowing Caro and screenwriters Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek tried to craft something that stood apart from the animated version, even if the plot points were similar. It’s a shame it won’t be in theaters in the US.

#Cast of mulan rise of a warrior plus

Instead, it’s on Disney Plus as a $30 add-on for subscribers.Īnd the combination of limited dialogue, some wooden acting from Liu and a hectic pace that prioritizes training montages and declarations of being “loyal, brave and true” over more exchanges between Mulan and her comrades, means you’re not as invested in her journey or development. With a $200 million budget and the weight of Disney behind it, Mulan was supposed to be a big moment for Asians looking to make a more significant cultural impact in the US.

And while South Korea’s Parasite was a critical darling and this year’s best picture winner at the Oscars, it’s not exactly a film you take the family to watch. It felt like a lifetime ago when Crazy Rich Asians hit it big, setting off anticipation that the film would spark more projects with Asians and Asian Americans. And that dynamic between two Asian women - who aren’t talking about their love lives - is even more rare. Having a fully fleshed-out Chinese character on the silver screen is important because, well, there just aren’t that many examples in Hollywood. It’s almost an afterthought between an epic battle and the climactic, action-filled finale.

Instead, it spans about six minutes in total. Light spoiler warning here: The revelation of Mulan’s real gender, her subsequent rejection, emotional breakdown and ultimate reconciliation with her comrades should serve as the emotional spine of the entire film. There are no scenes to show off the gravity of her leaving her family - she’s already rocking her father’s armor and holding his sword in a hero pose (Maybe there’s a place for her in the MCU?). There’s no struggle to become a warrior - she’s already supernaturally gifted from the opening minutes of the film. The shallow portrayal is especially a shame because director Niki Caro set up an intriguing dynamic between Mulan and Li Gong’s mesmerizing Xianniang (who actually does get some development) that my colleague Abrar Al-Heeti calls in her review one of the film’s “most striking attributes.”īut Caro didn’t give that evolving relationship time to breathe, and the film speeds through what should have been many of Mulan’s biggest emotional moments. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark had the luxury of several sequels to evolve and grow - Mulan just had this one shot. The sacrifice of character work in Mulan, however, is a far heavier blow because this isn’t the start of a franchise with multiple films.