Ever since I saw the trailer of “Mulan” (2020) directed by Niki Caro, I have wanted to see the movie and see if it was as good as the 1998 cartoon version. I have mixed feelings with the results of the movie.

The film is about a young woman named Mulan (Liu Yifei) in China. When the Huns start to invade China, each family is required to send a male to join the war to stop them. In order to prevent her elderly father Fa Zhou (Tzi Ma) from fighting in the war, she decides to disguise herself as a man and take his place.  

One thing I loved about the movie was the development of feminism.  In the beginning, it was said many times that the only way a woman could honor her family was to be a good wife. However, Mulan did not want to be a stereotypical wife for her future husband. She was a role model for girls because she showed that women have power beyond stereotypical roles. 

Although I loved the feminism, I was also a little disappointed by the stuff they took out of the original movie.  For instance, One of my favorite things in the cartoon version was the soundtrack, so I was really disappointed when the music wasn’t in it. I was also disappointed when the dragon Mushu wasn’t in the movie either. 

Based on my research of 15th century China, I feel like it wasn’t completely historically accurate.  The dwellings, weaponry, traditional makeup and a matchmaker were all common in that point in time. As were the qualities of a good wife,  like being quiet, composed and graceful. Although, I did find evidence that Chinese women warriors were often used, for over 5,000 years. 

I definitely liked the cartoon version more. I would by all odds recommend this movie if you loved the cartoon and want to see if it matches the last. 

“Mulan” ★★★☆☆