When Disney announced that they were going to be producing a live-action remake of the beloved 1998 Mulan animation and Chinese poem "The Ballad of Mulan," the expectations were set high. However, once it was released on Disney+, many were disappointed, to say the least.

One of the major changes from the Disney animation to live-action film was the exclusion of music from the film. This was an attempt to make the film more historically accurate. However, many, including myself, contend that the omission of music is one of the many inaccuracies of the newly released film. One of the most iconic songs from the Disney animation is "A Girl Worth Fighting For," which the Chinese soldiers sing on the way to war. It is common for soldiers to sing war tunes in the midst of battles as a coping mechanism for handling the horrors of war. It was a grave disappointment to Disney's audience to hear that the cherished songs of the original Disney animation would not be included in the 2020 film adaptation.

Many people were also dissatisfied with Mulan's character. In the Disney animated film, Hua Mulan is your ordinary girl who takes her elderly father's place in war who was able to defy stereotypes against women and gain respect and status in China's patriarchy. In the 2020 adaptation, however, they present Mulan to be an already powerful warrior with the ability to cultivate her chi. In Chinese culture, chi is an energy that flows through everybody; however, it takes hard work to cultivate it. The live-action film, however, showcases Mulan as born with a special "gift," rather than working hard to cultivate it.

This completely destroys Mulan's character growth that is depicted in the animated film.

During the training scene of the 1998 film, Mulan and her comrades are shown struggling with the intense training, which is how they eventually bond with each other. The empowering pole climbing scene was also cut from the original Disney animation. This scene greatly illustrated Mulan's ability to use her wit to her advantage, despite the biological difference between the male and female body, such as muscle mass. This is a major stepping-stone in Mulan's character growth because she is able to prove that she is just as capable, if not more, than the men in the army. Mulan continues to grow as a character, which the live-action remake is severely deprived of.

The 2020 remakes paints Mulan as a girl with "superpowers," pretending to be a man. This establishes the notion that she is only able to be strong and powerful because of her chi.

The animated Hua Mulan was courageous, intelligent, and vulnerable, which made her relatable and unique. On the other hand, the Hua Mulan represented in the newly released film has absolutely no defining characteristics besides her chi. Disney instead focused on making her a bland, emotionless superhero as a failed attempt for female empowerment. Disney also failed to develop relationships in the new movie. There are no deep emotional connections between Hua Mulan and other characters in the film, such as her family and comrades, which explains the lack of emotional impact in the film.

Another critique that upset several people was the filming location. Mulan was filmed in Xinjiang, China, which is where Uyghur Muslims are being persecuted in internment camps. Not only is this extremely tone deaf, but Disney also personally thanked the Chinese government, the people responsible for the suffering of the Uyghurs, for allowing them to film in China. Knowing this makes me regret watching the film.

After watching the new Mulan movie, I was left feeling disappointed and bothered. The movie did not amount to its expectations, especially after Disney claimed to make more historically accurate adjustments. They were able to depict some historical accuracies, but in the process, they sabotaged a respected and treasured animated film and poem. If you were thinking about spending $30 to watch this movie, I suggest that you save your money and wait until Disney+ releases it for free.