MALIK GILES
managing editor

After multiple delays due to the pandemic, Disney’s “Mulan” finally released on Disney+. This live recreation of the 1998 animation is far from musical and stays on the light, action-adventure side. Viewers should watch this movie not expecting any similarities between the two.

Though the movie is different from its original given the fact that characters such as “Mushu” was cut from the movie, it still has the format of a Disney movie.

Even though the world is a dark place where chivalry was taken extremely, most of the characters seemed light hearted. For instance, Xianniang the witch was portrayed as the all-powerful villain in the shadows, but switches sides and later dies for Mulan.

That sounds like a heartbreaking twist, but the character wasn’t used to her full potential. Of course, she was a foil for Mulan to raise up and beat the main villain at the end, but the story never truly explained why she was with Böri Khan, the man who waged war across the country. He said he found her as a street rat and that was it, with no flashback and weird narration from the narrator explaining her origin.

The narrator was only there about three times and the first time he narrated was 15 minutes into the movie. Viewers were confused about the narrator’s source because it was such an odd time to make an introduction.

It was an all Chinese cast so that is why this is a unique Disney movie. Just like the Lion King’s remake, this is cultural.

It seemed like Mulan had way too much plot armor, and she was hardly in any danger.
The narrator never shares how her chi, the movie explains as a magical power that al-
most everyone has, is stronger than everyone else.

Overpowered characters with no explanation why can make a story plain and simple, but the movie isn’t dry. It was funny watching Mulan live with the men and cool to see their relationship integrate. Though Mulan looked nothing like a man, by not taking too many showers and sinking like one, she sure fooled the men she was training and living with.

Lastly, the special effects did the movie zero justice. The slow-motion effects were overused, and the jumping scene made it obvious that the actors were using lines to hold them.

This movie seems like it’ll be a good origin story for a sequel, given there’s little back ground for some key characters. It’s not worth $34.99, Disney+ users should either split the cost between friends and family or wait till it comes out for free on Dec. 4.