Disney+ released the live action Mulan today via Premiere Access. This is an additional payment on top of your monthly Disney+ fee. Is Mulan worth $30? Should you watch the animated Mulan first? Is Mulan ok for kids? 3 Things To Know About Mulan Before Your Kids (Or You!) Watch On Disney Plus. Spoiler free. And don’t forget to check out some of the best Mulan 2020 live action movie quotes!
Table of Contents
About Mulan (2020)
When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father.
Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential.
It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.
Runtime: 1 hour 58 minutes
3 Things To Know About Mulan Before Your Kids (Or You!) Watch
With any remake or reboot these days, there’s always going to be some- eh, let’s say, discussion?– on the topic.
Should the movie be remade in the first place?
Will it be the same as the first beloved film?
Why does Disney want to mess with a classic like animated Mulan?
Look, I get it.
I personally would love to see more original stories being made- like Onward for example. Barley has some of the funniest movie quotes from that movie!
But I am also of the belief that a reboot or remake can also stand on its own, can provide entertainment, and can indeed be worthy as a supplement to the original content we already love.
We can love more than one thing, my friends!
And after watching- and thoroughly enjoying!- the live-action Mulan, I felt there were three things parents should know before they watch this with their kids.
1. Is Mulan Worth $30?
The elephant in the room: Disney+ is charging for this premium content.
And a lot of people are questioning if Mulan 2020 is worth spending $29.99 via Premiere Access on Disney+.
Everyone has to do their Disney math here.
For my family, $30 is a steal for brand new big box office entertainment.
There are 6 of us and at least 3 of us will watch this movie more than once- and would have gone to the theater to do so.
Mathing it out: YES. This movie is worth it.
But from an “is the movie GOOD?” standpoint? Is Mulan worth the $30?
YES. This movie is worth it.
It’s not perfect, and I do have some criticisms about the film and I’ll cover that in my Mulan parent movie review.
But the good completely outweighs the bad here. This movie was enjoyable and heartwarming, and completely worth the month.
Even if I was a single watcher (and had the means to spend $30 on entertainment) I would feel this story was worth the cost.
Plus this isn’t a 24-hour rental: once you pay $30, you get to watch Mulan as many times as you want as long as you keep your Disney+ subscription.
If you can’t come to terms with $30 out of pocket right now, Mulan will be on Disney+ for everyone in December 2020.
ps- Disney? Man, I wish you had released this in the theaters. This is one GORGEOUS film that deserves the biggest screen you can find!
2. Do Not Watch the Animated Version Right Before You Watch Mulan 2020
Normally, I’d say sit down with the kids, prepare for the movie by watching the one you grew up with.
I mean, Ming-Na Wen as Mulan is my Disney Princess goals and something I have loved sharing with my own daughters over the years.
BUT… I do not think that’s wise in this particular case.
The live-action Mulan does tell the same basic story of the young girl who becomes a warrior and saves China- yes. In that way it is similar to the older film.
But the way they tell it is totally different.
There is no singing or song exposition, there is no Mushu the magic dragon, and there is a lot less humor.
Before you slam the laptop shut and walk away: please hear me out.
That does NOT make this a lesser version of Mulan!
Just a different one.
If you leave the thief called comparison at the door, you’ll enjoy this movie on its own merits.
If your intention is to enjoy the new movie, I’d resist any temptation to compare via a current rewatch of the old version.
For me this is a Walt Disney World vs Disneyland discussion.
I love both theme parks for different reasons, and the differences are what I love. Not the similarities.
For this metaphor to work: Mulan 1998 is Disneyland; Mulan 2020 is Walt Disney World.
So don’t do a rewatch and then settle in to view this new version. That will cause unfair disappointment.
And this is especially important if your children have not seen the old movie.
Let them watch this one with fresh eyes and experience it in all its glory- there’s a lot to love here.
Is Mulan Ok For Kids?
Mulan is rated PG-13 but at its heart, its still a Disney film.
That means there’s no sex, drugs or even Rock n Roll in this one.
There is, however, a lot of war and fighting and death which earns it a PG-13 rating.
So is Mulan ok for kids to watch?
Mulan is kid-friendly for most children that have seen any of the Marvel movies or Star Wars movies, but I would be cautious if you have a child sensitive to extremely perilous situations.
The bad guys are pretty scary on a Disney bad-guy scale!
That’s it- that is my list of 3 big things to know about Mulan before you watch on Disney+.
To recap:
Is Mulan ok for kids to watch? Mostly.
Should you watch the old version first? Nope!
And most importantly: Is Mulan worth $30?
Absolutely.
More Disney+ Posts You’ll Love
The Best Quotes from The Mandalorian
Best Disney+ Shows To Watch On the Treadmill
11 Hamilton and Disney Connections to Make You Say AWESOME, WOW!
Is Bridgerton on Netflix ok for kids?
Patty Holliday has been running Disney since 2011. She knows just about every tip, trick, and hack there is to cover the runDisney Magical Miles at Disney World and Disneyland. She knows every mile isn’t *always* magical- but with training, tips, and a little bit of pixie dust, they can be a lot of fun! You can also find her at noguiltlife.com and noguiltfangirl.com