MULAN (2020) | Review and opinion

A young lady goes to the army in disguise as a man to save her father from dieing, along the line she became the greatest heroine of China.

Mulan is a 2020 American action movie which is the live action of am animation movie that was produced by Disney in 1998 which is produced by Walt Disney pictures, it carries the same name with the animatied movie and it is based on a Chinese story known to the china people of Ballad of Mulan.

The movie was directed by Niki Caro, the screenplay was written by Rock Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Lauren Huynek and Martin Elizabeth.
The movie has alot of stars featuring in it like Yifei Liu, Donni Yen, Tzi ma, Jet li, Jason Scott Lee, Yason An, Gong Li, Ron Yuan and more.

In 2010, the plan to make the live version of the animation started but was stopped due to some reasons, the filming eventually started from August to November 2018 in both New Zealand and China.

There were lots of controversies in the movie as there was need to change some things in the material that was to be used, there were also critism as the movie production team didn't have alot of Chinese people in it.

The world premiere for Mulan was on March 9, 2020 in Hollywood at Dolby theatre, the schedule for the wide theatrical release was a later time in March but was cancelled due to the COVID -19 pandemic but was later released in September 4, 2020 in the United States.

PLOT

The parents of Mulan Zhou and Li didn't expect anything more from her as they consider her to be just a a girl hoping to get a good husband one day, she has been arranged to meet with a match maker that will tell how well she is prepared as a future wife, she was asked to pour tea for the matchmaker to see but there was an incident where a spider appeared and scared Mulan's younger sister Xiu which caused a bit of problem and led to the destruction of the teapot and thus made the matchmaker call her a disgrace in the presence of the family, but there is more to Mulan as she isn't just a disappointment but am active and adventurous girl unknown to her parents.

In the North the Rouran warriors invaded an imperial Outpost which is lead by Bori Khan, a witch called Xianniang assisted them by using her magic to act as a surviving soldier and give a report of the attack to the Emperor of China, due to this report the Emperor issued a decree that orders every family to give one man to fight Khan's forces.

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The imperial soldiers got to Mulan's village to get recruits, due to the fact that Zhou Mulan's father has no son he had to pledge his service causing a humourous scence for the soldiers as he fell over due to his crippled leg, Mulan realizing the situation had to cut her hair flee with her fathees6 armor, sword and horse to stand in for her father. Commander Tung was in charge of the camo which Mulan arrived at with other inexperienced recruits who will be trained for the battle, Mulan was able to get trained as a good soldier without her identity been revealed even when there was circumstances that could have revealed her through identity.

The training ended earlier than it ought to as the Bori's Army were advancing stronger, Commander Tung had no choice than to end the training and send his soldiers to war, Mulan set out to chase some troops by herself, which she was accosted by Xianniang the witch who made jest of her for pretending to be a man and demoralized her, the leather which bounded Mulan's chest stopped the attack.of the witch when she attempted to kill Mulan.

Mulan returned to the battle after removing her disguise, her fellow soldiers were attacked by the Khan's army with a trebuchet which she was able to maneuver using her archery skill and the discarded helmets and also tricked them into firing to the snowy mountain causing an avalanche that led to the burial of the Rourans.

Mulan returned to her camp and saved her soldier friend Chen Honghui, as her identity is revealed she was sent home from the camp and started her journey back home, as she journeyed back home the witch came to her again to persuade her to join their team as she was also rejected by her people, Khan gave her what others don't which is equality and that's why she stays with him, she also revealed a secret that the plan of Khan was more than the attack on the Outpost as that was just a distraction as the true plan of Khan was to kill the Emperor because the Emperor was responsible for his father's death.

Mulan then raced back to the camo to warn them of what is about to happen, the friend she saved earlier stood up for her and commander Tung had to agree and let her lead some soldiers to the Emperor palace.

The guards of the emperor were murdered and Xianniamg used her power to create a fake image of the imperial Chancellor telling the Emperor to accept Khan's challenge of a combat, Khan's army were preparing to burn the king alive, the Soldiers Mulan eney with distracted Khan's army why Mulan went to save the emperor herself.

Am arrow was shot at Mulan but Xianniang intercepted the arrow and scaroficed herself by turning into an hawk thereybh saving Mulan from dieing, Mulan ended up killing Khan not without an injury to Mulan anyways and the damage of her father's sword, she saved the Emperor who asked her to join his personal guards which she declined and went to her village.

The Emperor honoured Mulan sending emissary to Mulan in her village with a new sword and making a request to her to join the Army as an Officer.