(ANSA) - ROME, 03 SEPT - An epic family movie, which pays homage to the wuxiapian (a film that tells of mythical characters and martial heroes of the Chinese tradition) in a triumph of mass scenes and spectacular choreographies of fights and battles.
But also an intense family story enriched by moments of humor about a legendary heroine, who challenges the limits imposed on women by society and inevitably speaks to today too.
It is Mulan, a live action remake, signed by Niki Caro (La ragazzadelle whale), starring Liu Yifei, of the 1998 animated film, which after the various postponements of the release for the coronavirus emergency, arrives, not without controversy from the operators, directly on the Disney + platform from 4 September, with VIP access for € 21.99.
The film (which has the only song in the soundtrack on the end credits, sung in the Italian version by Carmen Consoli), is inspired by the Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan, written more than 1500 years ago, the most famous text on the legendary heroine.
We find in the live action version HuaMulan who secretly prepared herself since she was a child to become a warrior, in a closed patriarchal society.
When a new enemy brings yet another call to arms from the emperor (Jet Li), the girl, given the impossibility of fighting her father, a war veteran, who has been disabled (TziMa), decides to pretend to be a man to enlist in his place.
He thus finds himself demonstrating his exceptional qualities by leading the army against the fearsome Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee).
Niki Caro, avoiding as much as possible some philological errors of the cartoon, offers a story that mixes genres in an engaging way, thanks also to the versatility of the protagonist, who alternates fragility and strength.
Around her is a network of masterful performers including Donnie Yen, Yoson An, Ron Yuan, Rosalind Chao, Nelson Lee and Cheng Pei-Pei.
Gong Li stands out in particular, in the role of a powerful witch who supports Bori Khan, but in fact she is on the same path as Mulannel to seek her own space in a world in which women have little voice.
(HANDLE).
