In Review: Mulan

by Ted Giese

Slated for theatrical release in 2020, the live-action reimagining of Mulan by director Niki Caro was released instead on Disney+ in September, available to subscribers at an additional cost of $30. In December 2020, the film became free to all subscribers at no additional cost.

Unlike other Disney’s live-action remakes this new film is afforded certain latitude as the 1998 animated Mulan is a relatively underrated film from the 1990s Disney Renaissance period. That said, the general public is increasingly picky when it comes to nostalgia, meaning it’s nearly impossible to make a film that pleases everyone.

Ubiquitous social media attention adds the hurdles of global-, gender-, and race-related politics that further complicate such productions. The new Mulan was not immune to these pressures. Personal comments by the lead actress Yifei Liu about the 2019 Hong Kong protests; the removal/alteration of characters like Mulan’s love interest, Shang, who had become a kind of bisexual icon among a subset of LGBTQ viewers; and controversies around shooting locations which required approval from local Chinese government officials involved in running detention camps for Uighur Muslims all impacted the public perception of the film in advance of its release.

How does 2020’s Mulan compare to the 1998 version? Most obviously the comedic moments and musical numbers have been removed from the new version of the film. The decision, for example, to reimagine Mulan’s ancestral guardian spirit—the diminutive dragon Mushu, previously voiced by Eddie Murphy in a comedic relief role—as a silent phoenix, seen largely at a distance, takes away much of the original film’s fun. The phoenix has no voice and tells no jokes.

Likewise, the decision to not include musical numbers reduces much of the charm from the final product. While the 1998 Mulan didn’t have the show-stopping musical numbers of some other Disney films, the songs did propel the story and flesh out characters with great economy. A memorable example is the song “A Girl Worth Fighting For” which rounded out the characters of Mulan’s fellow soldiers, showing them as sensitive and caring despite their general crudeness. Songs like these helped build the credibility of the soldiers’ decision to join Mulan in battle at the end of the film, regardless of the dishonour she has committed by concealing that she is a young woman. They come to understand Mulan too is “a girl worth fighting for,” in a bit of dramatic irony. Despite being more serious in tone, the remake fails to be as clever and sophisticated as the original animated film.

The reimagining of the animated Falcon Hayabusa into the live action shape-shifting witch, Xianniang (Li Gong), is a creative addition to the story but muddies the water and complicates the film’s third act—resulting in a cheapening of Mulan’s character arc. On one hand, she serves as a dark mirror, warning Mulan of what she could become if she joins Xianniang and follows her in her sorcery. On the other hand, Xianniang is played as a sympathetic character enslaved by the ultimate villain of the film Böri Khan (Jason Scott Lee). She even sacrifices herself to save Mulan in the heat of battle. Some may applaud the introduction of ambiguity to the villains, but such choices sap the new film of danger and dramatic purpose.

Both the old and new version of the story refrain from grim violence; the fighting is bloodless and that’s just fine since these films are made for a young audience. Mulan’s martial arts abilities are presented as a by-product of her qi (or chi—her vital spirit of life). Her family wants her to hide these supernatural abilities because it is considered socially dishonorable for a young woman to outshine men in this regard.

Christian viewers should remember that qi as presented in this film is not found within Christian beliefs. The Spirit given to Christians by God is not a parallel thing. The vital spirit of life and faith given by God as a gift provides endurance, character, and hope, even in the midst of suffering (see Romans 5:3-5). But having the Spirit certainly doesn’t grant people supernatural acrobatic abilities in the martial arts.

In story-telling terms, the use of qi in the 2020 Mulan also has the downside that it makes Mulan less relatable to the general audience. Instead of a talented, clever, competent woman advancing on the merits of skill and hard work, she becomes an unstoppable magic child.

Honouring Father & Mother

Caro’s Mulan suffers for her decision to run away and joining the army. But these things also produce character. And in the end Mulan brings unexpected honour to her family.

Still, the way this is presented quickly becomes a narrative pitfall, one that Christian parents may want to carefully consider. The original Chinese folksong—the Ballad of Mulan—does not present the heroine as disobedient to her parents; she goes to war in her father’s place simply because there are no suitable male children in the family. Her indifference to marriage is not presented as dishonourable but simply explains her willingness to go.

By contrast, the 1998 and the 2020 films depict Mulan’s actions as something that does bring dishonour upon the family. Zhou (Tzi Ma) had encouraged his daughter to be married—a culturally acceptable way of gaining honour for the family, and not an unfatherly act given there was no cultural expectation for Mulan to go to war.

In this new film, Mulan eventually asks her parents for forgiveness for dishonouring them—yet because of her achievements, her parents turn around and say the blame is theirs, implying the whole Chinese culture of gender roles is wrong and in need of reforms. This is a common theme in modern literature and film: the child who knows more than their parents, where instead of the child being raised according to the pre-existing culture, the culture must be changed to conform to the child.

The film suggests it was Mulan’s father Zhou’s pride that resulted in her going in the first place. Had he accepted the dishonour of declining the Emperor’s call for men to fight, Mulan would not have felt compelled to go.

Perhaps the best construction on this theme in the film can be found in Colossians 3:20-21: “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Christian families watching the film together will want to review the commandment about honouring mother and father. If Mulan had honoured, served, and obeyed her parents from the beginning, this would be a very different film.

Another point for reflection is the apparent theme that female success is rooted in being able to do what men do and do it better. Mulan sends mixed signals about the value of personal character and what it means to be a man or a woman. Mulan’s dishonesty about her identity is ultimately rewarded, with the ends justifying the means. But this utilitarian approach to life—and to identity—doesn’t uniformly lead to happiness in the real world. Christian families will benefit from reflecting together on the commandment about bearing false witness, while remembering that a Christian’s true identity is found in their baptism into Christ Jesus.

Finally, both the 1998 and 2020 films provide an opportunity for Christian families to talk about Eastern ideas of ancestor worship in comparison with Christian beliefs. The animated version in particular paints Mulan’s ancestors as spirits directly involved with the daily life and honour of her family. By contrast, Lutherans teach that the faithfully departed rest in Christ awaiting the resurrection of the last day. And while Scripture encourages believers to remember their leaders and to imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7), they are not encouraged to pray to them or seek their guidance and help in this life.

Disney’s determination to retread its entire animated back catalogue with new live-action CGI films is becoming more of a “because-wecan” curiosity and less of a cinematic experience. Setting aside a couple of exceptions like 2015’s Cinderella and 2018’s melancholy but kind Christopher Robin, most of these films ring hollow—and for that reason, they will find themselves revisited far less often than the originals.

Rev. Ted Giese

Rev. Ted Giese is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina; a contributor to LCMS Reporter; and movie reviewer for the “Issues, Etc.” radio program. For more of his movie reviews, check out the Movie Review Index at: www.lutheran-church-regina.com