Let's Talk About...'s review about Mulan(1998)

Let's Talk About...

Rating 8

10:51 27 October, 2023

After rewatching the animated version, you’ll understand why fans of the original version are disappointed with the live-action version. This is because the vividness, humor, growth, and humanistic concepts of "kindness and responsibility” that Disney tirelessly conveys in the original are not presented in the live-action version. It’s hard to imagine that this 1998 animation still looks smooth, detailed and timeless, with really professional editing and touching characterizations, such as the Emperor's kindness and humor; all these allow viewers to feel Disney's kind and tender depictions of China. Sadly, none of these are presented in the live-action version.

The essence of Mulan's spirit in this version of Mulan is feminism, and being true to yourself while honoring your family. Several songs are pretty good and would be popular even now, and Eddie Murphy's voice is really outstanding. There’s no major errors with the basic historical facts as well. Various virtues are beautifully written in Chinese script, showing that the production crew worked really hard, respecting Chinese culture. In contrast, the 2020 live-action movie is simply unbearable to watch by comparison.