Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
UGH!, July 12, 2006
I'm so angry! I LOVE the original Mulan, and I was hoping this would be half as good as the first. It wasn't even that.
First of all, the music is awful and the animation lacks the romance, vision, and flow of the original. The original team worked hard with their concepts, which was obvious. Whoever made made this...did not.
Second, the voice talent was severely lacking this time around. Even the characters who ended up with the same voice actors sounded a bit flat. Like the actors were rushed or as if they just didn't really care.
Third, everyone seemed out of character! Not just their speech patterns, but in some cases their movements, manner, and ENTIRE PERSONALITIES were just...severely diminished or entirely changed. These are not the characters I fell in love with! At all!
Fourth, everything was disgustingly predictable. Gee...Mulan's three male friends are looking for wives and just HAPPEN to help guard the three beautiful princesses? Golly...WHAT WILL HAPPEN? DUH. Can we say formula-written? The whole story was just...disappointing and derivative.
Fifth, I found it insulting to ancient Chinese culture. Just because our modern Western culture does not think highly of or participate in arranged marriage doesn't mean it didn't happen, or that it wasn't accepted THERE. In fact, it is still widely practiced in many countries, and you know what? It often works out! It was a part of peoples culture, still IS a part of peoples culture, and ISN'T evil. I found this movies' villifying of arranged marriage and all who participate in it to be very insulting and typical "our USA way is the BEST way and the ONLY way, and everything else is WRONG". I hope they never showed this movie over in China, or else I'll be very embarassed for the USA.
Sixth...ugh, nevermind. I don't even want to think about this awful movie anymore. They should have left the Mulan series as a single movie - the one that retold the original legend. But, being Disney, they just HAD to add a crappy sequel and capitalize on the wonderful original movie.
The only reason this got 2 stars instead of one? Although the scene at the bridge has been done a million times over and is NOT original at all, it was well-done. Brought a tear to my eye, I admit. But it was a cheaply gained tear, because I've seen the same scene in 92752375 different movies.
DO NOT see this movie if you love the original and don't want your vision of it tainted. This movie is crap.
|
|
|
46 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Family Fare, February 2, 2005
The story of Mulan II begins with Mulan thinking about marrying General Shang... which upsets one of Mulan's spirit guides (Mushu) so much that he decides to sabotage their relationship. Mushu is worried that he will be demoted if Mulan goes through with her plans to marry General Shang, because tradition calls for the wife's spirit guides to lose their pedestals in the household shrine at the time of marriage, meaning that they would then be subordinated to the husband's ancestors. The story moves back to Mulan and Shang, who are asked by the Emperor to provide safe passage for the Emperor's three daughters across China, so that they can be married to three princes in order to bring peace to China. Mulan and Shang travel with three trusted soldiers, who fall in love with the princesses in their care... as Mushu begins his plans to break Mulan and Shang up. Mulan II is full of jokes, songs, and an important message about following your heart. My favorite part of the film was one of the opening scenes, in which Mulan describes the importance of yin and yang in a beautiful song and dance number. This is a fun family movie, with interesting special features, too.
|
|
|
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
This movie could've been so good . . . ., January 13, 2007
A Kid's Review
Have you noticed that sequels, for the most part (Toy Story 2 is an exception) just don't feel the same as the original? The music is different, the animation is different, something. You just can't quite put your finger on it; the movie bothers you somehow.
This movie does that. The story and characters were OK, but the plot could have been carried out so much better! Mushu was being selfish, although I admit the scenes when he tried to get Mulan and Shang apart made me laugh. And while the whole "duty to your heart" thing gets most people mad about this movie, I think it just wasn't done right. What I'm saying is, the movie has a decent plot but it was carried out weakly. Yeah, that's the word that describes this movie: weak.
The beginning song is just bad. I agree with the person who said they felt the scene with Mulan teaching the girls to fight was uncomfortable. It was poorly done. As with most aspects of this film, it coul've been better. The song "lesson nuber one" or whatever is terrible; I was almost to the point of cringing. The "other" "Girl We're Fighting For" was OK. Not as good as the one in the original, but really, what can you expect? Not much. I don't think many people ahve high expectations foor sequels anymore. At least, I don't.
The scenes between the princesses and warriors are funny, but too cute and quick. It could've been better. Wait, didn't I just say that?
At the end how Mushu retends to be the golden dragon or whatever is funny, but it bothers me. I mean, that's how the problem was resolved? It would be okay if they had it once in the movie and the resolution was different, but Mulan, Shang, Mushu and the princesses got what they wanted by tricking a whole country. If the country were to find out the truth, all the protagonists would be in some serious trouble and that's an understatement. (If you're confused, you probably haven't seen the movie).
I also agree with the person who said mixing modern stuff into the story was bad. It is OK for kids, but it's just too cheesy for adults.
Like I said, the movie could have been better. It does NOT "capture the majic of the original" (as the back says); the tone is completely different.
However, I must say that the scene when Shang falls into the river is done really well. It will either send chills down your spine or make you shed a few tears. I was not expecting that to be done well. The princesses' song was the best song in the whole movie. Oh, and the princesses themselves were all right characters. I like Ting-Ting the best; she seems serious but inside she's a joker. Her and Ling go great together. The other two couples go great together, too. And while Mushu's plans were practically evil, I have to admit they were funny.
And speaking of Mushu, I personally didn't find Mushu that bad, just a little naughty. He was really selfish at first about his precious pedestal, but he eventually found out that if Mulan wasn't happy, then neither was he. However, I think that he shoudn't have gotten his pedestal back. I think it sends the wrong message; that you will eventually get what you want even if you do really evil things or something. Or maybe he shouldn't have gotten it back the way he did in the movie.Anyway, just like almost evryting else, it could've been done much better.
To sum it up, the movie was poorly done. I don't even think Disney even tried to make it good. It could have been done better. I know I've said that a thousand times, but it's true.
Kids will like this movie because I can grudgingly admit it's funny, but adults will probably find it poorly done. Some aspects send the wrong message to kids, like what I already said about Mushu and his epdestal. The "duty to your heart" is a great theme, but I think it was represented falsely.
I own the movie. I suggest you rent it if you really want to see it. The back cover is wrong. It is not a "movie you want to see again and again".
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Harrison Chad
DVD ~ Jason Alexander
DVD ~ James Arnold Taylor
DVD ~ John Rhys-Davies
