Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney recently released their hotly-anticipated (and sometimes not so hotly) Mulan remake on Disney+. While the movie was great in its own right, it's very different from Disney's animated movie from the '90s, being based more on the original Chinese legend, unlike some of the other shot-for-shot remakes that Disney has been releasing as of late.
One of the biggest points of contention with the remake is the lack of songs present in the original film, with the live-action version only featuring instrumentals here and there. Today, we're going to be going over reasons why the film should have included the songs, and why they were right to be excluded.
Should: To Honor The Original
The original Mulan is one of Disney's strongest animated offerings, and this is due, in part, to its songs. Many of the film's standout moments come from the soundtrack, such as I'll Make a Man out of You and Reflection. Couldn't these songs have been included in some way to honor the original movie while still giving the live-action remake its own identity?
Shouldn't Have: It's A Different Movie
To put it simply, this version of Mulan is its own. It's not as much of a remake as some of Disney's other recent offerings. It tells an original story that differs greatly from its animated ancestor. Certain story beats just don't make sense to include the songs. It wouldn't have felt right for the songs to be inserted into somewhere they don't belong.
Should: They're Simply Iconic
As mentioned previously, the original Mulan movie has some iconic songs, with two of the standouts being I'll Make a Man out of You and Reflection. Those two songs are some of the strongest in Disney's entire catalog. They're nothing short of iconic.
It just doesn't seem quite fair that all of the other Disney remakes got to retain their songs while Mulan was the only one that lost out. Not having updated versions of the classics really is a shame.
Shouldn't Have: It's Serious
As mentioned earlier, Mulan 2020 is a very different movie from the original, it's got a much darker tone than the light-hearted animated version. There's not as much of a place for the songs in the war-centric movie that is the live-action Mulan. There's barely even jokes to speak of, so songs are simply out of the question.
Should: They Could Have Been Altered
Perhaps the original songs could have been altered in a way to fit the live-action movie, though. Perhaps, rather than directly singing them, the songs could have been overlayed over other footage. This would allow the songs to integrate a bit more seamlessly into the film, and not feel as out of place as they would if the actors and actresses were singing them. This method would allow for the best of both worlds.
Shouldn't Have: Way Too Jarring
Even so, most of the original film's songs are too upbeat to even be included over footage. The only song that really could have been salvaged in this manner would be Reflection, as it is more of a downbeat ballad that fits the tone that the movie is going for. Some of the higher-tempo tracks would have felt out of place even with the above method used.
Should: Share Some Identity With The Original Movie
As previously noted, both versions of Mulan are very different films, to the point that sometimes they don't feel like they share the same identity in any way. Including all or some of the songs would have been a great way to bridge this gap.
The movies could still have very different plots from one another, but share in the songs that helped make the original such an iconic movie. This would have helped tie them together beautifully.
Shouldn't Have: There Wasn't A Place For Them
When it really comes down to it, there just wasn't a place in the live-action version of Mulan for the original's soundtrack. They're all great tracks, and arguably, Reflection should have been able to sneak its way into the film. But it didn't, and that makes sense. Mulan 2020 is a war movie more than anything, and including songs just wouldn't have felt right in most scenarios.
Should: Mulan's Actress Is A Singer
One final point in the songs' favor is that Mulan's actress, Liu Yifei, has a singing career in China. She knows what she's doing when it comes to singing. While no one dislikes Christina Aguilera's version of Reflection, would it have hurt to, at the very least, have Liu Yifei sing the song in the credits? That would have been enough for most fans. But alas, it was not meant to be.
Shouldn't Have: The Instrumentals Are Perfect
One point in the live-action film's direction is the fact that at certain moments instrumentals that allude to the original movie's soundtrack are included, most notably, Reflection. If the songs couldn't be included, this is the next best thing that fans could have gotten. The instrumentals are used in beautiful ways, and they're a joy to hear.