'Mulan' Early Buzz: One Of The Best Disney Live-Action Remakes Yet
Let's get down to business: what did critics think of Mulan? Well, their praise for Niki Caro's live-action remake of the beloved 1998 animated classic is as swift as a coursing river, with many calling it one of the best Disney live-action remakes yet.
Here are the Mulan early buzz reactions.
Mulan, which stars Liu Yifei in the title role, is quite a departure from the usual Disney remake formula, with no musical sequences and not a wacky sidekick in sight. But audiences who had a chance to see an early screening of Mulan found this approach to be refreshing and were impressed by Caro's direction and the thrilling fight choreography. And for those of you still upset that there's no Shang, critics gushed over the steamy chemistry between Liu's Mulan and Yoson An's fellow conscript Chen Honghui.
I'm very surprised at how much I liked the live action #Mulan movie. It's so majestic, the action is thrilling, it aims for a level of sophistication and beauty you don't expect.
(I was never a huge fan of the animated film, I think I've only seen it once. So no attachments)
— Peter Sciretta (@PeterSciretta) March 10, 2020
Also! Surprisingly sexy for a Disney movie. Case in point: the very loud "OH MY GOD" that was uttered in the theater when Yoson An took his shirt off. #Mulan
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) March 10, 2020
#Mulan is absolutely fantastic. Different enough with great action scenes, but with the heart of the original film. It doesn't even matter that it's not a musical. If you're a fan of the animated, there are subtle nods to many of the songs. Can't wait to see this again.
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) March 10, 2020
#Mulan is one of the best live-action adaptation of a Disney animated classic. It honors the 1998 film and the ballad by modernizing themes of female empowerment and iconic scenes, while also standing out w/ great cinematography & battle sequences are reminiscent of Wuxia epics. pic.twitter.com/2DUjzX1M1h
— Michael Lee (@IamMichaelJLee) March 10, 2020
#Mulan is exciting, vibrant, emotional, and different from the animated version. It's definitely its own thing, which I dug – a more mature Disney film, featuring stunning production design & fight choreography. Director Niki Caro & star Liu Yifei are the big stand-outs, imo pic.twitter.com/p6IEQUDNBu
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 10, 2020
The cast of Mulan is fantastic in the film. There are lots of little moments that nods to the animated that'll make the fans happy. Very beautiful & epic cinematography. It had more fantastical elements than I expected. Overall, a great re-telling of the animated and very fun 🙌🏼
— Wendy Lee Szany (@WendyLeeSzany) March 10, 2020
Just got out of seeing #Mulan with @thatgrltrish, LOVED this film. Costumes & fighting/stunts were incredible, sexual chemistry eat your heart out, and our buddy @jfwong CRUSHED IT as Ling!! @DisneyAUNZ pic.twitter.com/YTRETySZyF
— Maude Garrett (@maudegarrett) March 10, 2020
I've seen MULAN twice now and I must say it is grrrreat. Easily Disney's best live action reboot. I think it's also Disney's first battle epic? It is beautiful & absorbing & rich & empowering. The cast is excellent and Niki Caro's direction is just breathtaking.
— Kevin Polowy (@djkevlar) March 10, 2020
Wow. Just wow. Disney's Mulan is not only visually stunning, it is absolutely magical. I laughed, I cried, and I loved every second of it. I cannot wait to take my girls to see it. Talk about girl power. WOW. #Mulan
— Tessa Smith – Mama's Geeky (@MamasGeeky) March 10, 2020
A few moveigeoers missed the nostalgic elements of Mulan and Shang, but said Caro's visuals and the film's action, heart and humor more than make up for it.
Disney's Mulan remake leaves a lot behind, but offers much more in its absence. Plenty of 1998 throwbacks pepper a story full of incredible action, humor, and heart.
Oh, and the romantic chemistry gets STEAMY. Like chanting "kiss" in a silent theater steamy.#Mulan2020 #mulan pic.twitter.com/soILc7OdTm
— alison foreman (@alfaforeman) March 10, 2020
#Mulan is a gorgeous film that pays homage to the ballad of its origin, and Yifei Liu gives a fantastic performance.
Songs and Mushu are missed, but other adaptation changes serve the story well and fit the tone. (PS. Yoson An is a great not-Shang & the love story still works.) pic.twitter.com/3ICOKKL2jb— The Distracted Tatiana (@myrcellasear) March 10, 2020
However, a few were not as impressed by the film, praising some of its elements, like the relationship between Mulan and her father (Hua Zhou) as well as the fight scenes and production designs, but expressing disappointment over the villains and plot holes.
The story of #Mulan and her father is the main draw to this film. It's emotional and sweet. The fight scenes and production design were beautiful too! It's not a perfect film and there are some plot holes and maybe some problematic stuff, but overall, the movie is fine. pic.twitter.com/v6RRMzvGwT
— Laura ลอร'า 劳拉 🍥 (@lsirikul) March 10, 2020
There's a great film yearning to break out in #Mulan, but it's surprisingly bogged down by adapting the animation. It has its moments, but the poor villains and inconsistent action quality results in a mediocre movie. pic.twitter.com/2iZ3wZYOts
— Mansoor Mithaiwala (@MansoorAYM) March 10, 2020
Disney's live-action films were starting to feel stagnant lately, with the shot-for-shot remakes only reminding us of how far superior the animated films were. But Mulan looks to break out of that crowd, with a film that pays homage to the original Chinese folk song The Ballad of Mulan rather than just the Disney remake, and Caro bringing the majestic visuals and fight choreography.
Mulan, which also stars Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Gong Li, and Jet Li in supporting roles, hits theaters on March 27, 2020.
To save her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man to battle northern invaders in China.