We first see the character as a playful, acrobatic young girl (played by Crystal Rao), climbing up and leaping across rooftops in her village to chase a chicken in a bit of foreshadowing of the action to come. The bones of “Mulan” remain familiar, though. As gorgeous as the film is-the work of countless talented women behind the scenes, including cinematographer Mandy Walker and costume designer Bina Daigeler-it’s not quite the same watching it at home, even on a giant TV, even with an enthusiastic, movie-loving kid on the couch next to you. One particular moment of solidarity and validation caused my heart to get caught in my throat, and it’s one of many instances that made me wish I was watching “Mulan” in a packed theater. Liu’s performance might have been more powerful if she’d been a bit more emotive, but the steeliness and physicality she displays make her a convincing fighter.Ĭaro is a perfect choice to helm this live-action “Mulan,” having made her name nearly two decades ago with another story of a determined girl who dared to buck the patriarchy, 2002’s “ Whale Rider.” Working from a script by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek, Caro interweaves the story’s ancient poetic roots with Easter eggs from the 1998 animated film-although there’s no wacky dragon sidekick, alas-but it’s very much its own artistic endeavor, and is by far the most effective and necessary of all the live-action remakes of Disney’s animated catalog that we’ve seen in recent years.Ĭaro’s take on the tale, as mainstream and family-friendly as it is, also carries the unmistakable spirit of the #MeToo movement: women standing up for themselves and each other and demanding that men hear and believe them. Just as important is the fact that she finds her voice over the course of this journey-a phenomenon specific to this character and this story, but one that couldn’t be more resonant for women of all ages watching all over the world, right now. At the center is the lovely Yifei Liu, who’s called upon to show a great deal of range as Mulan transforms herself from brazen, impetuous rebel to mature, commanding leader.
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