Live-Action Mulan remake.

I thought the show was the midquel for Hercules?

Yeah, the show was set in-betweenn Hercules's years of training with Phil (which are only glimpsed in a montage in the movie). It was actually a good show, retained the movie's spirit and had our beloved James Woods voicing Hades again.

Mulan actually seems like a movie that would lend itself to a cartoon about her fending off later Hun invasions or something of the sort.

I think the major weakness of Mulan 2 was that it took a side-story (the developing relationship between Mulan and her commander) and thrust it center stage. And I call that love story a side story because nothing in it was necessary. Mulan was a badass soldier who saved the rest of her army. The commander would have gone to her tent regardless of personal feelings, in order to thank her for her service. And she would have been caught and thrown out either way.

The second one threw love center-stage and completely undid what made Mulan so great.

Yeah, some reason I find there is a Strawman Has a Point moment. Since the arranged marriages here is meant to bridge an alliance with a neighboring kingdom so they could fend off what I believe was the Mongols. Granted marrying should be a decision, yet the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. My memory is a bit fuzzy since I know the plot points from a review, but was the Mongol thing dropped?

Yes, they were marrying to unite against the Mongols. Mulan foils the marriage because she can't bear to see the princess suffering such fate (particularly when they find loves of their own during the trip), but since she knows without the marriage the Mongols would summarily annihilate everything, she takes a third option and offers heself for an arranged marriage, which the allies accept in gladly (she is China's greatest war hero after all).

But at this point Mushu realizes the glaringly obvious (that Mulan would be unhappy in this forced marriage) and eenacts a plan to free her of this burden. By which he fakes being a dragon god or dragon prophet of some sort and uses that to reconile China and its ally via the force of a god's words.

Mulan marries Chan, everybody marries whomsoever they like, Mushu remains Mulan's guardian and the alliance stands. That's how it ends.

So it spreads the message, "You can have everything you want if you have a supernatural guardian at your side." Yay. More fairytail bull shit to feed to the young and hopeless.

Are people getting tired of the forced happy endings yet?

Why does everyone think kids are that stupid? I don't see any point in trying to take things that literally.

Besides the United States, Canada also has a sizable East Asian population. There are actually a bunch of (North)American born and raised Hong Kong actors like Christy Chung, Michael Wong, Daniel Wu and Billy Chow. Then there are also Chinese or Hong Kong born actors like Donnie Yen and Liu Yifei and Maggie Cheung who became fluent in English by growing in an English speaking country.

Mushu didn't exactly do all of Mulan's work for her. Arguably, he overall caused more problems for her than he solved.

Yep.

Ironically, Mushu had until this point been trying to disrupt the marriage between Mulan and Shang since her being his wife would mean that his family guardians would be taking care of her now, leaving Mushu without a special someone to justify his special treatment after Mulan came home a war hero. It was only after they nearly called it off because of arguments over love and duty, and some Mushu induced situations, that he realized how selfish he was being, but right after that Shang was apparently killed.

As Gaon said, Mushu makes them stop the marriage to the allied prince and Shang turns out to be alive again, which works for Mushu because he's doing his duty and prioritizing Mulan's well-being over his own pleasure now. Then he adds some stuff about the two nations needing to stay allies and stuff, but that's more of an afterthought for him. Mushu's loyalties and priorities are Mulan first, China second.

edited 20th Apr '15 11:28:14 AM by Parable

The main issue with with Mulan 2 was that, like The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, the point of the movie was just to hook some of the characters who didn't get love interests in the first movie up with some new characters. Which was dissonant to the plot it's supposed to be a sequel to, and isn't a very good basis for a plot besides.

While the story wasn't as terrible as Hunchback 2, it still got brought down by the same things - loss of depth being the most obvious thing.

Which is unfortunate, because I liked the three princesses.

Mulan is also characterized as not having broadway numbers for their music, a la "Be Our Guest." They were more montages with some vivid imagery than the characters breaking into song and dance. After seeing the first few minutes of Mulan 2 it really caught me off guard.

Though I don't really dislike that movie. In fact, out of all the "cheapquels," I'd say Mulan 2 is the second best of that group - behind Peter Pan 2 (though I hear the Cinderella sequels aren't half bad either - I've never seen them). It's not really great or anything, but it's at least decent: which you can't really say for a lot of the sequels made in the 2000's.

edited 20th Apr '15 11:25:11 PM by KnownUnknown

Do Return of Jafar and Simba's Pride count as cheapquels? Because I liked them.

Return of Jafar was really a pilot for the animated series, which unlike other attempts did take off. Sure it's animation looks mediocre, but it was okay. So I wouldn't say it was a "cheapquel"

Second Cinderella movie was horrible, but I heard good things about the third one.

Call me a heretic, but I despise Simba's Pride. Or at least dislike it very much. It has to be using Romeo and Juliet as a plot.

edited 21st Apr '15 7:49:44 AM by TheFarmboy

I loved the second Lion King and the third Cinderella was pretty fantastic. but most of the sequels are pretty crappy.

I'd call you more of a heretic if you disliked The Lion King One And A Half.

On that note, The Lion King is kind of in the same boat as Disney/Aladdin, with both having 2 sequels and a TV series. Though in the case of the former Timon And Pumbaa is so disjointed it might as well be it's own thing.

And since we're talking about Disney sequels, I'll admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Peter Pan 2, if only because I like the sheer concept of Wendy's daughter being toughened by World War One.

edited 21st Apr '15 9:30:07 AM by Watchtower

Wasn't the Blitzkrieg during World War Two? Pretty sure it was set during the Blitz.

Fun Fact: In the sequel to the original book, Michael died in service during World War One.

edited 21st Apr '15 9:38:05 AM by TheFarmboy

What Farmboy said.

Was Michael the glasses or baby?

I remember that bit! they all go back to neverland and Peter's all " let's play War" and Wendy's just like " um. no."

Micheal was the older brother, I think.

also, I wonder if this Mulan remake will have more elements from the ballad, like Mulan becoming an officer? That'd be cool.

John was the older kid, Michael was the younger.

D'oh! That's right. It's been years...

That makes it even sadder.

I really liked Cinderella 3, and I also like the Lion King 1 1/2. Granted, the last time I watched the latter was when I was a kid, so I have no idea if I'd like it now.