In general I find the Disney studio’s recent trend to create live-action versions of their animated classics to be redundant and tiresome.  It’s probably a brilliant business decision, but it seems to me that later versions cannot help but cheapen and trivialize their predecessors.  In the case of Mulan, however, this represents a chance to repair a breach of cultural sensitivity.  The original animated Mulan dates back to 1998, hardly long enough to be considered a classic.  Moreover, this heroic tale of a Chinese warrior woman is disrupted, if not overwhelmed, by the presence of her “guardian angel,” a kooky dragon named Mushu (voiced by Eddie Murphy, no less).  The result, while undeniably entertaining, is a film that comedically undermines the very legend it is trying to promote.

Niki Caro’s new version tells roughly the same tale, of a young woman, Mulan (Liu Yifei) who goes to battle in her father’s place to save him from certain death (he is old and infirm).  Only she has to disguise herself as a man because women are not permitted to fight (or express themselves openly or . . .).  The legend has it that Mulan finds a way to prevent warrior Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee) and his forces from invading the capital city and disposing of the Emperor (Jet Li).  And along the way she falls for a fellow warrior, Cheng Honghui (Yoson An).

All of this is handled more appropriately than in the animated version (and its sillier sequel) and fairly excitingly.  Caro’s cultural respect is evident, her handling of the action scenes is deft and she has an eye for the details that make the story come alive.  While I enjoy the animated film it is clear that the live-action version is technically and dramatically superior, and it impresses me.  I do have one rather large quibble, though.  The animated film relies on the dragon and the cricket, not only for comedy, but to move the story along.  This live-action relies on a supernatural character, Xian Lang (Gong Li), to serve as an opposite to Mulan and move the story along.  The story is fairly realistic except for the supernatural element that enters with Xian Lang and results in both women climbing walls, flying through the air and disposing with much larger male warriors with ease.  Personally I don’t think the supernatural element adds much of value — except for highlighting the neglect that Chinese women suffer from their menfolk.  That is an important lesson.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  30 September 2021.