The live-action MULAN lies on the knife-edge with me. The appeal of the character to me is not if she can fight as a man does; it is that Mulan is smart. She’s easily the smartest Disney princess, with an instinctive tactical awareness of her surroundings and a commendable ability to effectively improvise under difficult conditions.
I won’t get all of that, because I don’t own Disney. Whether I get a version that I’ll like remains to be seen. They’re leaving a lot of stuff out of these trailers, I know that much.
I expect that, as the rumor goes, if they are returning to the original Chinese narrative, then they would highlight whatever play to the Chinese market. For instance, they didn’t care nearly as much as the WokeScolds that Matt Damon was a out-of-place white guy in The Great Wall.
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Who can really say what plays to the ChiComs? Other than not mocking President Pooh-bear of course, which *must* have strained the Disney-ChiCom relationship somewhat.
The Great Wall was made by a Chinese company. That’s why they didn’t care what the woke-scolds said. This movie’s being made by Disney.
And rumor is that the woke-scolds took Mushu’s scalp.
Mushu’s not in the original. I can understand that decision.
My admittedly somewhat distant recollection is that the original story also doesn’t include Bori Khan, or a sorceress (or the White Huns, for that matter).
At least one version of it *does* end with her committing suicide when she’s ordered by her ruler to marry an old guy in a political marriage.
I just rewatched Mulan the other night and still found it enjoyable. Not to mention it is a favorite of my womenfolk.
I hope the live-action doesn’t suck.
To be honest, it’s Snow White I’d nominate as an smartest princess since she manifested both skills you don’t normally see in an aristocrat and the ability to befriend nonhuman sophants. @_@