Reviews

Movie Review: Disney's Mulan — Animated & Live Action

This year, a remake of Disney’s Mulan was released to a number of controversies. While some advocated boycotting the movie due to human rights related issues, many simply condemned it for being significantly worse than the original film. But is it really as bad as some say? Or are the negative aspects of the movie simply being blown out of proportion compared to the animated original? Here’s a spoiler-free comparison between both films to get to the bottom of these questions.

While Disney’s original Mulan had its own critics, it is still a fan favorite for many. Produced twenty-two years ago, it won the hearts of fans for its strong main character and its great supporting cast. Mulan is the story of a woman who bravely defies social norms and goes to war in her father’s place. In the animated version, she proves that with determination and intelligence a woman can break free of societal constraints and even become a hero. In the beginning of the movie, Mulan is shown to be kind as she cares for her father, but also very independent. Even though she wants to be her own person, she fears she will dishonor her family if she does not follow the typical path for a woman, which is to marry and have children. What makes this version of the movie so great is that it interlaces this and other serious topics with moments of comedic relief, and helps move the story along through great songs.

The live action Mulan was released in September of 2020 and faced a lot of controversy, but how does it compare to the original? One of the main differences between the movies is that in the live action version, Mulan’s success comes from having been born with strong chi. In the beginning of the film, a young Mulan falls off a roof in her village but is able to save herself by channeling her chi. Instead of being happy she survived and impressed with her acrobatics, the other villagers shake their heads in dismay, and walk away. They act as if Mulan is an alien, and this makes her father realize that if he doesn’t intervene to make her more “normal,” she may be ridiculed and even called a witch. In an effort to help his daughter fit in, he tells her that she can only bring honor to her family through marriage, and that she should hide her chi. However, without getting into too much detail, when it comes time for her to take her father’s place on the battlefield, it is her chi that sets her apart from the other warriors. And it is this focus on her chi that is the biggest failing of this movie: What had made the original movie so inspiring was that Mulan succeeds through her wit and determination. In contrast, the 2020 version seems to suggest that Mulan’s success as a warrior was due to Disney’s interpretation of chi, which comes down to having been born with magical powers.

Another shortcoming of the 2020 version is that it never seemed to settle on whether it wanted to be a remake of the original Disney version or something entirely different. Some scenes, like the opening scene where Mulan falls off the roof, feel very light-hearted and Disneyesque, while the battle scenes have the feel of an epic war drama. And while the makers of the live action version decided against making this a typical Disney musical, their decision to work lyrics from the 1998 Mulan into the dialogue made several conversations feel forced.

This is not to say that the 2020 version is a complete fail. There are many impactful scenes in the movie, including several showcasing Mulan and other warriors fighting and riding horses at high speeds. There are also many beautiful shots of country sides that are visually pleasing. So while the 1998 version is definitely better and more inspiring, the live action version is still worth seeing.

Book Review: Wings of Fire

Clay is a sweet and loyal MudWing dragonet along with his four other friends, Tsunami, Sunny, Starflight, and Glory. He’s completely loyal and protective of his friends. The MudWing dragonet knows he was born to end the war, but is this his real fate . . . ?

When horrible danger menaces one of his friends, he knows there is only one way to save her. He must venture out into the world . . . an unknown place . . . where he has never gone. They pave their own path into fulfilling their responsibility as the Dragonets of Destiny.

Wings of Fire, by Tui. T Sutherland, is about a dragon world called Pyrrhia. There are many books, and each one has a unique character. Each character has a big personality, with their own voice, their own problems, and they are all very individually seen. You should read Wings of Fire, because it has deeply crafted characters.

Other than that, dragons! Who doesn’t want to read books about dragons? In the dragons’ perspective, humans are called ‘Scavengers’. The dragons think that the Scavengers are brainless creatures, but over time the Scavengers show empathy and courage. I wondered, “If the dragons and Scavengers communicate, would they be able to live in peace?” I really liked that the villains were also very crafted. Most of the time in books or TV, all the villains say: “Mwahahahaha, I will take over the world!”

Not very interesting, right? I also like that the author added magic, prophecies, and mind reading into the story without making it cliché. I like that Tui didn’t leave a happy ending in every book. There are only a few happy endings in all the books. The author doesn’t make the story all happy and no one is sad. That is unrealistic.

There are countless twists, cliffhangers, and surprises throughout the series. It makes you want to reread them, find the clues, and go, “AHA! I KNEW IT!”

The book has seven tribes each with their own cool and amazing capabilities. They are all different and really shows that dragons aren’t just red flying fire breathing things.

Overall, Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy is about a young dragonet who must find his own way . . . choose his own path . . . to save the world.

THE DRAGONET PROPHECY

When the war has lasted twenty years . . . the dragonets will come. When the land is soaked in blood and tears . . . the dragonets will come. Find the SeaWings egg of deepest blue. Wings of night shall come to you. The largest egg in mountain high will give you the wings of sky. For wings of earth, search through the mud for an egg the color of dragon blood. And hidden alone from the rival queens, the SandWings egg awaits unseen. Of three queens who blister and blaze and burn, two shall die and one shall learn if she bows to a fate that is stronger and higher, she’ll have the power of wings of fire. Five eggs to hatch on brightest night, five dragons born to end the fight. Darkness will rise to bring the light. The dragonets are coming . . .