Mulan: Rise of a Warrior

I never knew the Mulan story before Disney's released it's version and it is one of my favorite Disney movies. While I understood this was not going to be the feel good movie that you find with Disney, I did expect it to be just as entertaining. It wasn't epic but I did enjoy the film.

This doesn't focus of the training of a young woman's military skills. It was my perspective that this was much more about how she had to overcome her emotions to break through and become a great general. I felt that they did a good job at portraying her struggle while not allowing her to lose all feeling.

It was well acted even if I didn't particularly care for the choice of Mulan. There was just something off there. The script was decent but the camera work could've been a bit better.

Overall it is not a back live action version of this tale of folklore. I won't have a problem recommending it.

excerpt, full review at my location - Not to be confused with Disney's 1998 animated blockbuster Mulan, director Jingle Ma's 2009 epic offers a more sophisticated and nuanced retelling of the story based on a sixth century Chinese poem. Mulan: Legendary Warrior charts the early life and rise to power of Hua Mulan, a fearless heroine who disguises herself as a man and goes to war in place of her ailing father.

Mulan: Legendary Warrior isn't exactly innovative, and it doesn't really add anything new to a story that has been told many times, but it's an expertly crafted film that fuses war and romance genres in a highly absorbing way.

Hopefully the new Disney film sparks some interest in this one. This isn't the "kids" take on the tale. Theres a pretty cool atmosphere where it feels light and childlike (since the people in war can be quite young in real life, during the time) while still being graphic and brutal.

Its not perfect. You'll be lost a lot in terms of "how much time has passed?" For example. But it is a good watch. Good acting, action and lots of interesting story.

This is a real film, don't think this is a family fun movie, like the Disney Mulan, this is an adult, grown up War Action Romantic Drama, Chinese style, and its very very good. Heavy on the War Action, Heavy on the Romantic Drama, A stunning movie.

It is a very beautiful film, very good photography, good costumes, and it really looks like its ancient time period, the battle scenes are great, the action scenes very good and all the acting is spot on, no slacking here. I am not keen on the romantic angle, but it is very well done in this, no sex scenes either, showing that for true romanticism you don't need to show naked bodies writhing together and that it is better without that sort of thing.

I have watched a good few Chinese films and most are great, they really do know how to make a good realistic film without cutting corners or going cap in hand to the financial sharks.

The nearest western equivalent of this film is probably Spartacus and it is as good as that. Put it on your Bucket List, watch this before you die.

I was moved by this movie. It was a real good watch. Words escape me at the moment, but this review can say it all for me: http://yingweitan.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/movie-review-mulan-2009/ Also, the comment at the bottom of the article is very insightful.

Differing from the usual route of Chinese epic movies, which usually portrays huge battle scenes, extravagant costumes, and such, this movie concentrated more on the character's development and emotions. As such, it is a movie that deserves a closer scrutiny than the passive habit we have of watching movies. I will not give it the 2 points for the 10/10 vote because my overly romantic self was denied something (you'll see). But then that's just me. :) I do not regret that I spent 113 minutes of my time on this. In fact, it made me all the more ready to face my own battle: life.