The highly anticipated Mulan remake is the best Disney live action offering in recent years. 

The film, which was expected to be released in March earlier this year, is a love letter to China and the Chinese audience. It stars Yifei Lu as Mulan and has special appearances by Jet Li as The Emperor and a blink if you miss it cameo by Ming-Na Wen; who voiced Mulan in the animated film. 

Disney is no stranger to remaking their classic animated films. In the 90’s, Disney released live action adaptations of The Jungle Book and 101 Dalmatians and it’s sequel. The trend reignited in  2010 with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and the company has been going full steam ahead ever since. 

The biggest difference between the new film and the animated version is that there is absolutely no singing. Fortunately, the movie does well without the familiar songs and is in a league of its own. The actions sequences are exciting and pay tribute to Hong Kong cinema with the use of wire-fu (using wire work in kung fu action sequences.)

Mulan is the perfect escape from an often messy world and is a familiar experience from the original but is a film that holds its own.  

Due to COVID-19, no movie theaters in the United States are showing this film. The film is available on Disney +, with strings attached. If you want to see the film, you must have a Disney + subscription that starts at $6.99. There is also a steep one time premium video rental charge of $29.99.  After that, you have access to the movie as long as there is an active Disney + subscription.

For some, that price may be a deal breaker, but if you are a lover of all things Disney and the animated film, it is worth the rental price. Mulan is the first live action remake from Disney that doesn’t feel like a shot by shot ripoff. The film also features female representation that doesn’t feel like a Hollywood gimmick. 

If you are craving something new to see during this year that has been dry with movies, get the family together or a couple friends and watch Mulan.