Mulan - Movie Review

On 'The Hart Beat', Chris Hartwell reviews Mulan. Starring: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Gong Li, Jet Li. Written by: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Elizabeth Martin, Lauren Hynek. Directed by: Niki Caro.

[andrewabraham]

Really wish I could have had a professor as passionate and eloquent as you in college

[charlessimons]

Instead of a live-action remake, why not a live-action sequel or prequel? I think that would mitigate the issues of people comparing it to the original, but also give Disney the opportunity to not follow an already constructed piece, and enable Disney and their creators the ability to work on something new and creative while paying homage to the original work.

On a side note your Hobbit cuts have inspired me to do some work on the Harry Potter series. My goal is to add some deleted scenes but more importantly add some color correction to the later films so that they match more with Chris' work on the first two. However, the 4K release brings more vividness (for lack of a better term) to the later films making it not as dark as people remember from watching in 1080p. That said editing in 4K is a long task. It'll be my biggest editing project of yet so wish me luck and if you have any tips please let me know.

[SgtWicket]

The trailer had me so excited but I found the final product frustrating. Like you said, there were a lot of added elements that made the movie feel cluttered. Especially since so many of those elements were underdeveloped. I felt like I could see the intention for those additions - how they were SUPPOSED to pay off emotionally or narratively - but they didn’t work for me.

[RachelsReviews]

Excellent analysis. I think these at best end up feeling like karaoke versions of the originals and for someone that loves animation the idea that live action is some kind of upgrade irritates me. This film made such baffling choices like the whole power of chi was so misguided

[chengfusaechao]

So..the trailer is VERY
MISLEADING....It looks
AMAZING(a masterpiece)
..& now there's really
BAD REVIEWS for mulan

[nataku]

Oh a fallow up to my rant. How cool would it have been if this movie was being told to you by MUshu ( like prince bride style ) he just brakes the 4th wall and y’all to the audience. He acknowledges the animated movie but then tells you the real story which ends up being this movie. - the other way would have been true Princess bride style. Give me a Chinese grandmother telling a kid the story of Mulan. Let them speak in Chinese’. It ok for me to read sub titles. When we get into the story cool go English again. But I just wanted to feel more of the chines culture. Give me moments I want to google and look up about China.

[nataku]

After the film was down I had a lot of mixed feelings. 1st off I was excited for the parts of the chines culture and movies that where part of this film ... but I felt it’s came of dumbed down for the American viewer. If you going to let me into your culture! Truly show me. I want to learn and ask why and what. Two - this film felt like Mulan and crouching tiger hidden dragon got put in a washing machine together and this is the movie we got. Go watch the fights from any of the well know movies and the fight a beautiful and vast. Everything is in camera. If you go back and watch this movie there are many moments where the fight is a bunch of jump cuts and close ups. ( go back and watch the moment she is running across the rooftops. It’s all stunted in it delivery. Is all close of of feet hitting and hands grabbing. Not a beautiful wide shot where we can see her bounding from roof to roof. It’s like that seen was made with out wire works and that what they came up with. Three - this movie is feels yet again like a cash grab. The set don’t feel vary dynamic. ( some do. Some are beautiful ) the fight with all the band of guys in that passage... what low effort and not impressive. The green screen moment are obvious. The set don’t have logic some times. The first place attacked is in the middle of a desert. With nothing around it. Not even a singe that people come and go. It’s just there to be attacked and then get to the next moment in the movie. It lacks life and realism.... it just feel like this movie is 50% of the movie we should have gotten from a studio like Disney.