Disney released its first trailer for its live-action "Mulan" on July 7. While "Mulan" has been highly anticipated, many fans have been disappointed with how the live-action version has deviated from the animated film. Some of the biggest complaints have been about the lack of singing in the movie and the replacement of the characters Mushu and Li Shang.
While I understand why people are upset about these changes, it's not like the animated version disappears when the live-action version comes out. Disney won't be ruining everyone's childhoods somehow by changing elements of "Mulan." People have also complained about Disney's rapid production of live-action remakes, stating that Disney is running out of ideas and hasn't been doing anything new. While "Mulan" is still a remake, Disney is trying something different with the movie rather than adhering strictly to the animated version, so the new "Mulan" might be refreshing to those who have taken issue with the live-action remakes.
Those who claim that it's not "Mulan" without Mushu or the songs should also remember that Hua Mulan is actually a legendary Chinese warrior, and that the character's story originated from the "Ballad of Mulan." Disney seems to be following the "Ballad of Mulan" more closely in this movie than in the animated version, and I'm personally excited to see how they reinterpret Mulan's story. It's also important to note that Chinese audiences took issue with parts of the animated version, such as the scene where the emperor bows to Mulan and the character Mushu (this was probably one of the reasons behind replacing Mushu). Many found these elements of the movie to be an offensive depiction of Chinese culture. If Disney's motivation behind changing Mulan is being more respectful of the culture, then I'm all for it.
In the end, all we've seen of the live-action "Mulan" so far is a single trailer. One minute and thirty seconds of footage can hardly be a full representation of the entire film, and it's definitely not enough to begin forming full and accurate of the film as a whole. Why not try giving "Mulan" a chance instead?
