The casting was exellent, as well as the acting, can't complain about it. The music played during th emovie was very moving and really enhances the feeling you get from watching a particular scene.
The story line is great, even though we all know it, however, having watched the Disney movie, I anticipated a happier ending than that, and was slightly disapointed, screaming in my head "It's NOT FAIR", but anyway, that would be the only thing I don't like about it.
Overall, the movie was fantastic and a must watch in my opinion, and I would easily re-watch this, to pay more attention on the details the second time around.
GREAT MOVIE!!
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This review may contain spoilers
Based more on the original poem/story of Mulan than Disney version. She does join the army in place of her father, but we see how it affects her. She deals with death and grief and fear and killing. We get the real Mulan that went to war for over a decade.This a realistic movie, slightly dark tone because there is a lot of death, but it's the kind of movie that hurts so good. You will cry and then continue crying but you won't end up feeling depressed or sad. The story is fulfilling as we get to see Mulan grow and accept life as a soldier and the many different ways there are to be a hero. Vicki Zhou is wonderful as Mulan, and we don't spend a lot of time with the other characters, but we don't really need it. This is Mulan's story and it reflects that in the screen time given to our other characters. The music really helps finish the atmosphere.
There are parts that really got to me where I was sobbing but the situations were caused by war and so our characters have to deal with it. They act nobly and I was completely satisfied until the very end. As long as you don't question how they never notice she is a girl, you'll enjoy it.
I know I will end up watching it again. For when you feel like crying this is a great option. Hua Mulan truly transforms and even if you know how it ends you can still appreciate the sacrifices of our characters. I know the same scenes will still effect me in the same way.
A bit spoilery but not if you know the story of Mulan. The original version has her just returning home. This plot has a romance but they forced it into a bad ending. They continued on the noble character arc for Mulan where she just wants to take care of her father. Again this is the writers fault for wanting the dramatic hero, but it fits with the characters even though the other option would have been possible. So, I was a bit irritated, but for the sake of a better story it fits to have the drama, but I was annoyed because they built it up and left me hanging.
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2-Storyline/Plot : It was very different from what I expected; it literally made me confused at the beginning but as the story went on I became amazed. It was very interesting to see the events combined together and the breathtaking plot changes that served the storyline's development in a great way.
Moreover, there were too many appealing different genres in this film: Aside from the historical aspect there was war, romance, sacrifice, happiness, sadess which made it captivating on different levels.
3-Acting/Cast : It couldn't been any better; the actress that played Mulan have done a great job, she grasped the role perfectly: she showed us how a woman can be as strong as men and even lead them : it has been a while since I saw woman power so I was glad to see it here.
The lead actor was good too plus other actors were really good.
4-Music : The usual chinese historical music that makes you feel the film's background.
5-Rewatch value : It deserves to be rewatched because it has so many interesting elements in it.
6-The ending : It's not what I've been waiting for and it's not the fluffy Disney ending (so don't get your hopes too high).
This was much more realistic and believable.
7-Overall : I am really glad that I got the chance to watch this.
Even though, it wasn't any close from the disney version but I really love it when a drama/film surprises me.
P.S : If you already seen the Disney version, you may want watch this without previous expectations and most of all don't compare it to the Disney version because they're nothing alike.
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Hey this masterpiece of a movie even overcomes bad quality.
Since I found vids in good quality I'm watching this movie whenever I have time.
For a person who hates war and blood I'm suprized myself. Never ever did I love a bloody war movie enough to watch it again.
The acting is just great. You even get to feel with the actors. That one special scene with the soldiers singing.....ohhh man...
The music fits the movie very good and the soldiers singing at that one point is just amazing.
Rewatch value? Mulan is one of the few movies I watched over and over again.
Just watch this movie. It is one of the best movies ever.
Noone should be disappointed by this movie.
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The story is flawless- or am I just saying that because it's so well known? No, I'm pretty sure it's flawless. If you've seen both of the Disney movie, you'll notice certain aspects that join together in this movie, only with a much more serious tone added to it. The story was paced incredibly well considering the span of time with movie goes through, and still packed that emotional punch.
The casting got a less than perfect score for just one reason, which I shall get to after I rave about the main actors. The actress that played Mulan fit the role incredibly well in my opinion, although I have seen some that disagree. She's feminine, yet can pull of being a man. And Wentai? Not only is he a brilliant actor, but his looks grow on you so that by the end he's the hunkiest man alive. There were no significantly amazing or terrible actors elsewhere in the movie, but my problem with the casting lies in the actor person cast, not their acting abilities.
The white guy. If you've seen the movie, you know who I'm talking about. He's just SO out of place! I think his existence is justified in the movie, but I don't think he really belongs there- he didn't really contribute much tot he story.
The music is wonderful. It fits the mood, it's nice to listen to, and is not overly cheesy. What more can you ask for? I recommend sticking around for the credits, like I did, just to listen to the music.
I'd rewatch this right now, and I just finished it- so YES. Definitely worth rewatching.
I highly, highly recommend this movie.
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JUST WATCH IT!
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If you haven't watched this movie yet, I really recomment it!
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This review may contain spoilers
When I was a kid I loved the disney version. Someone told me later that the ending of the real story was sugar coated and didn't end well like in the cartoon. I hated that idea. So I hesitated a long time with watching this movie. I also dont like war/historical movies. But yesterday I just watched it anyway - and I LOVED IT. I cried like a baby, but loved every bit of it. ^_^The acting is great. First I thought that the main character is way too pretty to be accepted as a man. But she nailed it. Also the main male character did a good job. Both work great together, the character came to life and you could feel how they progressed, came closer, to a very sad, but perfect ending.
( I hope this isnt a spoiler, but I believe everybody is
familiar with the basic storyline of Mulan.)
The storyline is told in a way, that you accept the ending without a doubt in your mind. Beautiful. Which is actually a first for me. At least with sad movies (I hated Titanic)
Well, like I said, this movie is sad, not very comical, but beautiful.
If you're up to it you should def. watch it!
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I don't normally watch Chinese dramas or movies, and I'm really glad I watched this, and I really hope that everyone will give it a shot, I think the romance in it is just beyond touching and the story went very smoothly as well.
I did however feel that they rushed the beginning a little too much and I think it would of been better if they played out the training a little more to let us know more about the side characters; I think it would of helped to pull the audience in on a more personal level.
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-because if I'm watching Mulan, I'm watching an authentic one with a Chinese creative team-
The storyline stayed true to the original poem, painting Mulan as an ordinary girl who worked hard to become an extraordinary hero. She's a flawed character that developed throughout the (very fast-paced) movie. Everything she did, she did because of love for her father, for her fellow soldiers, and for her country. The movie is very down-to-earth and realistic, in the sense that you can't even see the main characters' faces clearly for a large part of the movie because they're all covered in dust and dirt from being at war.
The first 30 min of the movie gets a bit choppy, but sets up the stage for the immense emotions and character development to follow. And then the lead characters' bravery and comradery got me hooked throughout the whole thing. At the end I was so touched by Mulan's lines that I was pretty much in tears. I think the story ended at an appropriate place, leaving a whole bunch of mixed emotions behind in my heart. BRB still trying to get over the movie--
The beauty in this Mulan is she is human. Actor Chen Kun said that she embodies the spirit of a nobody, just like you and me. That everyone can be a Mulan if we are brave. Director Jingle Ma said that we can find Mulans everywhere, even nowadays -- the grassroot girls working multiple jobs to support their families are all modern-day Mulans.
For those choosing between Disney and this:
2009 Mulan is an authentic take of the classical Chinese Mulan poem. Because Chinese people wrote/produced it, the heroine does not have culturally inconsistent superpowers/symbolism (cough cough, Disney live-action). Instead, the film was created only with respect for Chinese history, culture, and values. If we want to even out the playing field for representation, we should be encouraging films written/produced/acted by Asian people to take the spotlight. Like The Farewell. Or Parasite. Let films about other cultures be in their own language. Let them truly shine. Non-English speakers have long relied on dubs or subtitles to access English-speaking films. If English speakers would also do the same, their eyes would be opened to so many more amazing cultures and films out there (to paraphrase what Parasite director Bong Joon Ho said at the Oscars).
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