Mulan
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When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Chinese Army to defend the country from Huns, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. She is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. Disguised as a man by the name of Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her innermost strength and embrace her true potential.
What critics thought
Western critics were broadly won over by the film's visual grandeur and action spectacle, while remaining divided on whether its storytelling and cultural handling matched its ambitions. Chinese and Hong Kong audiences were far harsher, finding the characters flat, the cultural elements distorted, and the treatment of concepts like qi reductive — a split that makes the gap between critical reception and audience response as revealing as the film itself.
“Throughout Mulan, there are shots of such visual splendor that viewers will catch their breath. In one, the morning mist clears and reveals an army in the distance, with its flags and colors, a frightening yet strangely beautiful sight.”
Mick LaSalle·San Francisco Chronicle
“On one hand, the result isn't immediately recognizable as 'a Disney movie,' but neither does it establish its own narrative or visual signature, the way Tarantino did when remixing Asian influences for Kill Bill. This is pure pastiche, as Caro and her crew shamelessly pilfer from kung fu, Fifth Generation and Hong Kong action movies, incorporating anime and Bollywood touches as well.”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Mulan is a heroic muddle, one that elicits both a disappointed sigh and an appreciative nod. It lays down a marker of progress achieved and progress to come.”
Justin Chang·Los Angeles Times
“[E]verything about this Mulan is ironic accidentally. Whatever its intentions, its execution and the circumstances of its creation are in opposition to them. It's a feminist tract that enforces male notions of value; a call to arms that fights for the wrong side of our current history; and a proud statement of national identity that celebrates the Nation of Disney as opposed to China.”
Walter Chaw·Film Freak Central
“a classic hero(ine)'s tale, exhilarating in its elaborate set pieces and large-scale ambitions even when the smaller human story within it sometimes falls short.”
Leah Greenblatt·Entertainment Weekly
Accolades
Genres
Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Cast & Crew
Niki CaroDirector
Liu YifeiHua Mulan
Donnie YenCommander Tung
Gong LiXian Niang
Jet LiThe Emperor
Jason Scott LeeBöri Khan
Yoson AnChen Honghui
Tzi MaHua Zhou
Rosalind ChaoHua Li
Cheng Pei-peiThe Matchmaker
Ming-Na WenEsteemed Guest
Xana TangHua Xiu
Ron YuanSergeant Qiang
Harry Gregson-WilliamsComposer
Amanda SilverWriter
Lauren HynekWriter
Elizabeth MartinWriter
Rick JaffaWriter
Mandy WalkerCinematographyMulan
When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Chinese Army to defend the country from Huns, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. She is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. Disguised as a man by the name of Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her innermost strength and embrace her true potential.
What critics thought
Western critics were broadly won over by the film's visual grandeur and action spectacle, while remaining divided on whether its storytelling and cultural handling matched its ambitions. Chinese and Hong Kong audiences were far harsher, finding the characters flat, the cultural elements distorted, and the treatment of concepts like qi reductive — a split that makes the gap between critical reception and audience response as revealing as the film itself.
“Throughout Mulan, there are shots of such visual splendor that viewers will catch their breath. In one, the morning mist clears and reveals an army in the distance, with its flags and colors, a frightening yet strangely beautiful sight.”
Mick LaSalle·San Francisco Chronicle
“On one hand, the result isn't immediately recognizable as 'a Disney movie,' but neither does it establish its own narrative or visual signature, the way Tarantino did when remixing Asian influences for Kill Bill. This is pure pastiche, as Caro and her crew shamelessly pilfer from kung fu, Fifth Generation and Hong Kong action movies, incorporating anime and Bollywood touches as well.”
Peter Debruge·Variety
“Mulan is a heroic muddle, one that elicits both a disappointed sigh and an appreciative nod. It lays down a marker of progress achieved and progress to come.”
Justin Chang·Los Angeles Times
“[E]verything about this Mulan is ironic accidentally. Whatever its intentions, its execution and the circumstances of its creation are in opposition to them. It's a feminist tract that enforces male notions of value; a call to arms that fights for the wrong side of our current history; and a proud statement of national identity that celebrates the Nation of Disney as opposed to China.”
Walter Chaw·Film Freak Central
“a classic hero(ine)'s tale, exhilarating in its elaborate set pieces and large-scale ambitions even when the smaller human story within it sometimes falls short.”
Leah Greenblatt·Entertainment Weekly
Accolades
Genres
Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Cast & Crew
Niki CaroDirectorLiu YifeiHua MulanDonnie YenCommander TungGong LiXian NiangJet LiThe EmperorJason Scott LeeBöri KhanYoson AnChen HonghuiTzi MaHua ZhouRosalind ChaoHua LiCheng Pei-peiThe MatchmakerMing-Na WenEsteemed GuestXana TangHua XiuRon YuanSergeant QiangHarry Gregson-WilliamsComposerAmanda SilverWriterLauren HynekWriterElizabeth MartinWriterRick JaffaWriterMandy WalkerCinematographyStream
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