Disney has done it again. They took a perfect film from their own repertoire, added in a million special effects and bright colors, and tried to create a better version than the original... Awk.
I had high hopes for this film when the teaser trailer first appeared in the summer of last year. I knew a woman, Niki Caro, was directing the movie and that although the heartwarming songs and inspiring ballads of the 1998 classic would be left out, that maybe this film could become an even more powerful version of the original.
Boy was I wrong.
First, let me give credit where credit is due. “Mulan” is beautifully filmed. The sweeping shots of the lush, green Chinese countryside (and occasionally New Zealand) pair beautifully with Mulan (Liu Yifei) practicing her swordsmanship in the glisten of the summer sun. But what the film fails to deliver is the overall message that made “Mulan” a Disney favorite in the first place: feminine empowerment. (Also, it lacks conflict, character development and comedy but that’s another conversation.)
The opening scene of the 2020 remake shows a young Mulan running around her town attempting to capture a stray chicken. After breaking fences and nearly falling off of the roof, she saves herself by using what appears to be a superpower (in slow-mo I might add) to perform a feat of gymnastics, land on her feet and catch her herding stick in her hand. Watching this scene wiped the giant smile of excitement right off of my face. So now she’s a superhero?
It’s later explained that Mulan is special because she was born with an innate ability to use her “qi” (or “chi” in Western people speak) — a powerful force within her (derived from ancient Chinese philosophy) that gives her crazy strength, balance and exceptional fighting skills. While I respect and admire the concept of qi, I do think it's important to note that a white woman directed this movie. If the goal was to celebrate the cultural relevance of qi, then celebrate it. This to me, takes the concept, stripped it of its culture and twisted it to appeal to a Western audience. Don’t get me wrong, I love “Star Wars” and I’m all about characters using force-like modes of overcoming evil, but the power of Mulan’s heroism is that she’s not any of that. She’s a normal girl who faced insurmountable obstacles and 6th-century ideals of women to save her country. The remake's use of the “qi” erases that narrative and implies to young girls they can only be exceptional and heroic with the assistance of some type of superpower. Can women not simply be excellent with hard work, determination and intelligence?
In the original movie, Mulan was put down her entire life for thinking and acting differently than her peers and society wanted her to behave. She rode horses and broke plates, she was absentminded and clumsy, and she spoke her mind on topics that society said she had no place in discussing.
But, the biggest aspect of the original film that makes Mulan a true heroine isn’t her natural-born affinity for warring (like the remake would have you believe), it’s her pure heart and unwavering determination that propels her to accomplish the impossible. She doesn’t have the makings of a traditional warrior. She wasn’t particularly adept at nimbleness and sword fighting, but she put in the work and became one of the greatest warriors of all time, AND her divergent way of thinking is what saves them all in the end. She behaved in a way that was true to herself and overcame adversity to eventually prove to her family, herself and the entire country that who she was is good enough. What she originally saw as weaknesses became her strengths — a powerful message to send to young girls.
And yes, I do realize the argument could be made that in terms of feminism, this is empowering in the sense that a young, peasant girl is chosen out of all others as a powerful force within the “qi.” And yes, she does learn by the end of the movie that she must accept herself and her ability to control the qi. So then why did I not feel as empowered watching this movie as I did when I saw the original? If you’re thinking, “Because you aren’t five” you’re partially right, but also wrong. It’s the relatability factor — the idea that any woman or young girl who has ever disliked some aspect of themselves must learn that what makes them unique is what makes them strong. Self-acceptance is a huge theme in both films, but in the original, it’s the idea that we, as the viewers, aren’t accepting some superhuman, but another woman just like us that overcame her own internal battle. And that is what feels empowering.
She’s not a woman that is outcast for her kickass superpowers, (which of course viewers find incredible,) she’s a woman that is overlooked for being different but refuses to give up or give in to societal expectations and eventually rises to the top.