It is a risk to remake a movie that is beloved, and certainly the animated version of Mulan was loved in our household. I was in the minority in my family in that I really enjoyed this version. The culture of China is not widely known in the United States, and at this very moment opening our minds and our experiences to cultures that are rich and longstanding, yet completely different than western cultures that we are more familiar with is very important. When elderly Asian women are being physically attacked in public places solely based on the way they look, we have a very serious problem. Watching an updated version of Mulan is not going to make you culturally competent, but a willingness to open up to foreign ideas and traditions can help.
So, think of this as an action movie rather than one with a plot line that is nuanced and unfolded. It is a live-action take on the classic story of a young Chinese woman who disguises herself as a man to become a warrior is thrilling from start to finish. It’s steeped in traditional cultural locales and details, yet feels bracingly modern with the help of dazzling special effects and innovative action sequences. You want gravity-defying aerial work and elaborately choreographed martial arts battles and horse stunts, I think you will enjoy this. It is nominated for an Oscar in both visual effects and costumes, so there is a lot to see here.
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