When Disney announced a live-action Mulan, most of us expected a high-budget version of the movie we grew up with. We expected "Reflection," we expected "I’ll Make a Man Out of You," and we definitely expected a wisecracking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy.

What we got instead was a serious martial arts film inspired by the original "Ballad of Mulan." Directed by Niki Caro, this version leans heavily into the Wuxia genre—a style of Chinese fiction involving martial arts heroes with superhuman-adjacent abilities.

The plot follows the same basic skeleton: Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s place in the Imperial Army to fight off Northern invaders. But the execution is entirely different. There is no singing. There is no Mushu. Instead, there is a witch with shapeshifting powers, a lot of talk about "Qi," and battle sequences that feel more like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon than The Little Mermaid.

If you have a 6-year-old who has "Reflection" on a loop on their Yoto Player, this movie is going to be a massive disappointment for them. It’s essentially a war movie. While it’s "Disney-fied" (meaning no blood and very little gore), the stakes feel much more "real" than the cartoon.

There’s also a fundamental shift in Mulan’s character. In the 1998 animated version, Mulan succeeds because she is smart, resourceful, and works twice as hard as the men. In the 2020 version, Mulan is born with an extraordinary amount of "Qi" (basically a "The Force" equivalent). She’s already a superhero; she just has to stop hiding it.

For parents who value the "hard work pays off" message of the original, this change might feel like a bit of a letdown. It turns a story about human perseverance into a story about a "chosen one."

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Let’s be real: this movie is beautiful to look at. The landscapes, the costumes, and the choreography are top-tier. But as a piece of storytelling, it’s a bit of a slog.

The lack of Mushu leaves a humor-shaped hole in the movie that never quite gets filled. The new characters—like the witch Xianniang—are interesting in theory but feel underdeveloped. For many kids, the 115-minute runtime is going to feel like three hours because there aren't any catchy songs to break up the political maneuvering and marching.

If your kids are used to the fast-paced, joke-a-minute style of The Super Mario Bros. Movie or Minions, they are likely going to check out halfway through Mulan.

Disney gave this a PG-13 rating, and for once, they actually meant it. This isn't a "soft" PG-13 like some Marvel movies.

The intensity of the battle scenes, the lack of humor, and the absence of talking animals make this a poor choice for younger kids. They’ll likely be bored or frightened by the looming threat of the invaders and the shapeshifting witch.

Kids in this age bracket who are starting to move away from "kiddie" animation and into more "grown-up" action movies will find a lot to like here. The martial arts are impressive, and the themes of honor and family loyalty are easy to grasp. However, be prepared to explain some of the more abstract concepts like "Qi" and the historical context of the Imperial Army.

Teens might appreciate the cinematography, but they also might find the "Disney-fication" of a war story a bit cheesy. If they’ve already seen John Wick (which, let's be honest, many have), Mulan’s action might feel a bit tame.

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If you do decide to watch it, Mulan offers some great jumping-off points for real conversations:

If you’re looking for that "Mulan energy" but this movie isn't the right fit, try these:

This is arguably a better "warrior princess" movie than the live-action Mulan. It has the action and the beautiful world-building, but it keeps the humor and heart that Disney is known for.

If you want a story about a daughter trying to earn her father’s respect while being her authentic self (and you want to actually laugh), this is the one. It’s on Netflix and it’s brilliant.

If your kids are interested in the concept of "Qi" and martial arts mixed with fantasy, the original animated series is the gold standard. It handles complex themes of war and destiny far better than the Mulan remake.

For older kids (10+) who want high-level martial arts choreography and a more modern take on Chinese culture and family dynamics within a superhero framework.

The 2020 Mulan is a "fine" movie that suffers from being compared to a "great" one. It’s a bold departure for Disney, but in stripping away the songs and the sidekicks, they also stripped away a lot of the joy.

If you have older kids who love action and you want a movie that looks incredible on a 4K TV, go for it. But if you’re looking for a cozy family sing-along, stick to the original or fire up Encanto for the hundredth time.

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