Insider correspondent Kirsten Acuna made it clear that the filmmakers acknowledged that the bold choice to exclude the original’s tunes would leave some fans wanting. “Mulan is absolutely fantastic,” she wrote. “Different enough with great action scenes, but with the heart of the original film. It doesn’t even matter that it’s not a musical. If you’re a fan of the animated [movie], there are subtle nods to many of the songs. Can’t wait to see this again.”
Mashable entertainment editor Angie J. Han went even further, writing, “Mulan is the best of the Disney live-action remakes since Cinderella — I didn’t even miss the songs. Finds new notes in a story we already know while delivering gorgeous action, heart, and humor.”
Of course, there were also those critics who had no particular connection to the original film; by and large, they, too, enjoyed the heck out of Mulan. “I’m very surprised at how much I liked the live action Mulan movie,” wrote Slashfilm‘s Peter Sciretta. “It’s so majestic, the action is thrilling, it aims for a level of sophistication and beauty you don’t expect. (I was never a huge fan of the animated film, I think I’ve only seen it once. So no attachments.)”
Written by: Looper