In one of the opening scenes of Mulan is the quote, “It is what is best for our family” when she is sent to the matchmaker. This storyline quickly gets usurped by her assumption of a man’s role serving under disguise in the Japanese Imperial Army.
Produced with a $200mil budget, delayed release, and a multi-pronged distribution strategy (Disney+ in the EU and US) with a theater release in China on Thursday, Mulan’s performance in the box office will be a challenge to exceed the $300mil the animated version grossed in 1998. Given the aerial view of combat scenes awash in arrows and Mongolian invaders galloping on horses, I can see where the budget went. But for a film rife in action, it was lacking in believability.
On the evening before the Imperial Army makes an offensive attack, Mulan proclaims her loyalty around the fire with the other soldiers, swearing to protect the kindred warriors while clasping her hands as they shake. She shares her family wisdom, that “there is no courage without fear”.
While this moment feels true, during the attack Mulan decides to charge after the Mongolians alone after the other soldiers have already retreated. Neither is she protecting her kindred soldiers nor is she upholding imperial duty by risking her own return to the next battle. If Mulan’s motivation is to spare her aged father and thus dishonor the family, there is disjointedness in the scene that follows.
Mulan encounters the witch, played by Gong Li, from Ang Lee’s 2000 Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, in a semi-surrealist space of spiritual combat that resembles an ayahuasca awakening. This is the moment at which I sense the magic and wonder of the world of Disney when one is young trying to break through.
Mulan is speared by the witch’s arrow, dies, and is reborn with hair flowing in rebellion, taking her place among the men. This moment is in contrast to the prior training that leads up to this point, during which she lifts weights up a mountain, reaching the top as the first recognizable refrain from the animated version plays out once.
If you were a nineties era pop music fan, then you know the song as Christina Aguilara’s Reflection, which asks, “when will my reflection show who I am inside?”. It is a rather literal use of the song given the context. Since there is little external dialogue from Mulan the audience must themselves infer from the original version her character transformation.
Nonetheless, I was moved by the themes that resonated, those of leadership, and family. I have been shown with very few words the good and the freedom of acceptance. “The warrior yields force to its advantage”, references chi but can be applied to how we embrace and attract energy. Sometimes I have seen leadership through management, which carries a negative connotation, however requires necessary mindfulness, to understand others' strengths and weaknesses. It has also been shown in simple acts, that transcend any movie.
For a full profile on being encouraged to do what we fear, check out this Mulan:
