Mulan, 2009, is an amazing love story of a legendary female Chinese warrior and is so well portrayed (even with English subtitles), so well directed and delivered with such depth that touches the heart and mind. Hua Mulan through her journey discovers the greater awareness for understanding the value of life and death, love and hate, power and powerlessness. The list is endless but cannot be provided without adding to the list that includes love, peace and family, because the key component of this story is not only about a woman but one that became a legend equally as, if not, above all men. War is filled with death, pain, anxiety, exhaustion, dirt, blood, fear, stench, failures, victories, power, powerlessness, hatred, anger. Mulan - Rise of the Warrior, 2009, explores a warriors journey and starts and finishes in this way. This is not to say Disney's 2020 release is not good, it is just not as good, and feels like it has been watered down for a younger audience, perhaps more family focused, more user friendly, almost too 'Americanised'. The release of both movies, Mulan - Rise of the Warrior, 2009, and Disney's release of Mulan 2020, both do this, although the 2009 has to score a 10 out of 10 above Disney's release. A great story can become a big flop if not provided on screen with some integrity, quality of a good director, screenplay writers, actors, and a producers budget that allows the story to bring an intensity that can touch the viewers. There are many variations of the story and as with all movies the synopsis is prepared by a range of roles including the script writers, screen play writers, producers, directors etc specifically for the actors. There is still a debate whether Mulan is a historical person or just a legend, as her name does not appear in Exemplary Women which is a compilation of biographies of women during the Northern Wei dynasty." "Mulan's name is included in Yan Xiyuan's One Hundred Beauties, which is a compilation of various women in Chinese folklore. After prolonged military service, Mulan retired honorably to her hometown and finally revealed her true gender, surprising her comrades.
According to the legend, Mulan, disguised as a man, takes her aged father's place in the army. "Hua Mulan (Chinese: 花木兰, Chinese: 花木蘭) was a folk heroine of the Northern and Southern dynasties China.
The synopsis of Mulan is pretty much the same whoever records it and the story is legendary in China, with poems, ballads, stage show productions, cartoons and television series, children's books and even gaming productions that recalls the legendary journey of Hua Mulan.
I am a little biased about the two movie releases because the 2009 version has been one of my most favourite movies, so when the Disney 2020 was released this year I was curious to compare them both.
I am only compelled to compare the two because they provide two different perspectives and though there are some similarities throughout the movie the differences is what makes them both unique to each other.įor those who have not seen the 2009 release but may have viewed the animation stories, TV series, stage productions, literature and/or history of Mulan, it is worth checking out the 2009 version and although it has English subtitles it is worth the watch. This is a review of the two movies Mulan - Rise of the Warrior released in 2009 against the Disney release Mulan 2020.