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The live-action remake of Mulan hit Disney+ this weekend, but with an extra $29.99 charge. Is Mulan worth the added price?
The long-awaited live-action remake of Disney’s animated film, Mulan, finally debuted last weekend. The film, originally set to release earlier in 2020, was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after Chinese and other international movie theaters reopened, Mulan finally had its chance.
Nonetheless, the film still face challenges in the United States, where most movie theaters remain closed. With a September 4 release date in the US, Disney had no chance but to seek other plans. In partnership with movie theaters, Disney released Mulan on the big screen and the small screen simultaneously. Families with Disney+ subscription could enjoy the film without leaving their home—by paying a $29.99 “premium access” fee.
While the added cost, on top of the paid Disney+ subscription, was originally unpopular, Disney had little choice. Mulan cost the studio $200 million and some of the money needed to be recouped. Now many Disney+ subscribers wonder, “is Mulan Premium Access worth the price?
We watched the film on its release date and found it fun, exciting, and charming. The aspects of family values and personal sense of duty have a strong pull throughout the film’s story. Like the original, Mulan follows a young girl in rural China who disguises herself as a boy to fight with the Imperial Army in place of her wounded father. While much of the film pulls from its 1998 animated predecessor, this is still very much a fresh take. For example, instead of a wisecracking dragon, Mulan is followed by a mystical phoenix. Also, the film has two villains, including a powerful witch.
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With all of that said, we did miss Eddy Murphy’s dragon, Mushu. He brought much-needed levity to the animated film that could live up this feature. However, Mulan attempts to stick to appropriate cultural representations of Chinese mythology. In fact, Mulan is a myth herself, a story from around the 5th century AD.
Overall, we feel that Mulan will fare better with kids and tweens than adults. While the many action sequences are fun for everyone and Mulan is a character worth rooting for, the story is a bit linear. Furthermore, some of the eastern culture ideologies (such as putting a ruling Empire before your own needs) may not resonate with American viewers.
It’s also worth noting that Disney plays, once again, the “dark” bad guy card, as the villains have darker skin and black clothing. Even if the Rouran Khaganate (the villains of the movie) were historically darker skinned, it’s a move that Disney has outplayed. However, this cliche will be flipped when The Little Mermaid live-action releases in the next couple of years. Halle Berry stars as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy will play Ursula. Overall, Disney hasn’t focused on skin color or ethnicity at all when casting The Little Mermaid, which we love.
If you purchase Mulan’s premium access pass, you’ll have unlimited viewing of the film until its widely available on Disney+. For now, Mulan is expected to release in December 2020 for all subscribers. The original animated film is also available for streaming now.
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