All The Ways Disney's Live-Action 'Mulan' Is Different From The Animated Movie | Pop Culture Decoded

Disney's live-action reimagining of "Mulan," directed by Niki Caro and starring Yifei Liu, made many changes to characters and story from the 1998 animated classic. Instead of Shan Yu, Mulan faces off against Böri Khan and a new shape-shifting villain named Xianniang. Meanwhile, Mulan's anthropomorphic sidekicks Mushu and Cri-Kee are replaced with two new characters in the live-action film. Other characters, like Li Shang, were split up into two separate characters. And while classic songs from "I'll Make a Man Out of You" are absent here, there are still references to them throughout. Many of the changes help bring Mulan closer to the ancient Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan."

Read more of Insider’s “Mulan” coverage:

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All the Ways Disney's Live-Action 'Mulan' is Different From The Animated Movie | Pop Culture Decoded

[superprincessgem]

I can understand not having mushu and getting rid of all the “fantasy/ legend” factors (such as ancestors, mushu, etc.) but I feel like adding the ki and the Sorceress was a slap in the face because it’s not explained well and gives the movie an unnecessary “here’s the magic you wanted”

[teruphoto]

The most important difference is that it's inferior.
It's visually pleasing, but joyless and low on character development.

[NaomiTCOOKIES]

I didn't like this version of Mulan. In the live action, I didn't like the character because she was the Chosen One with unusual amounts of Chi. I liked the animated Mulan character because she worked hard to become equal to her male counterparts in war simply through her wits and hard work to compensate for her lack of strength. She struggled but learned to overcome these physical challenges. The only struggle live-action Mulan really goes through is her ""true"" identity. The main appeal, at the heart of her character, of Mulan is her hard work ethic and ingenuity... at least, that was the main appeal for me when I was a little girl.

Edit: Yes, I'm aware everyone has Chi, but my comment says she's a Chosen One because she has *unusual* amounts of Chi (at least for a girl).

[BryBryReacts]

Soo basically everything is different lol

[alishbaloya]

So let me get this straight:
Grandma gone
Haircut gone
Arrow scene gone
Li shang gone
The songs gone
Mushu and Crikey gone
and instead we get yet another magic ‘I’m the chosen one’ story?
Remind me, how is this still the same movie??

[_nupurrd_]

THINGS I ADORED IN ORIGINAL:
1. Mulan getting stronger step by step.
2. mulan using her biggest asset, her brain and cleverness
3. her grandma and her sidekicks
4. li shang
5. Mulan using her girl toy, her fan to disarm shan yu
6. Emperor and then entire china bowing to her bravery and honoring her. not her bowing

[abdulsoleh]

I hate this movie, because it's focused on 'look how cool and strong mulan is, she can fly and kick the arrow bla bla bla'

the Mulan I know (from the animation obviously, not from the balad) is she's just strong enough, but not super. What really make her stand out is her creativity and that more appealing to me rather than flying Mulan in this movie.

5.5/10, don't recommend it.

[yoon]

there was no emotional build up and the scenes were cut too quickly

[jessicapark]

sooo is basically a completely different movie lol

[whathi]

I don’t like how taking off her protective battle gear and letting her hair down in the middle of battle is seen as her “ showing her true colors”. Like, what happened to the message of breaking gender stereotypes?! Why isn’t putting your hair up and wearing protective armor a woman’s thing

[othermissingsock]

Ya'll Mushu legit carried the whole show! Even tho he was a little selfish he learned to help Mulan and bring her honor. There was a scene where Mulan was thinking about going back home but Mushu popes outta no where and told her that she should go(Even tho it's for him to get his position back lol)! Without Mushu, Mulan wouldn't have gotten that far and without Mulan, Mushu wouldn't have gotten that far too.

[Samuel-qelj]

Poor storytelling and directing... feels like there were a ton of scene being cut...

[heic]

It’s so much worse.... Mulan is like a super human in this one, while the original she struggle, learn, and fought her way showing growth.

[semajhinton]

Yet another let down by somebody that didn’t grow up with these movies.

[Laura-Yu]

Such a shame that my favorite Disney animated movie got turned into a mediocre, unmemorable live action adaptation

[cosmo]

Yes, let's make everything culturally accurate, remove the humor, and have everyone speak English. Brilliant!

[selenahun]

1998: Still watchable till this day.

2020: Never want to watch this ever again.

[whoisxuen]

Fun Fact:

"Fa" is the same thing as "Hua". Fa is in Cantonese while Hua is in Chinese

[starcherry]

I know this wasn't in the video but *cutting your hair w a sword is **_extremely_** dangerous*

[totonbiswas]

I seriously want this movie to be made again, and PROPERLY WITH ALL THE FANTASY AND STUFFS!!!!