Disney+ Mulan (2020) (1 Viewer)

[Citizen87645]

It would seem like the hardcore animated Mulan fans should know by now what they are getting, so complaints from them (if that's who they are) that amount to "it's different!" seem like self-fulfilling unhappiness.

On RT, the critics are loving the film. Audiences, not so much so far. However, my guess is that the "early adopters" that rented it and watched it yesterday are probably some of the most hardcore Disney and animated 'Mulan' fans. Since, apparently, the live-action film is quite different than the animated version, I think I can understand why some people are sour on the new film.

 

[Mark Booth]

Another reason that I ponied up the $30 is because I know a certain percentage of the population will watch the film illegally. Perhaps even some people that are reading these posts, maybe even patting themselves on the back for how "clever" they are to escape spending $30.

That's not my style, I want to show my support for Disney.

*The above comments are not directed at any specific person, I'm just talking generally.

Mark

 

[Jake Lipson]

Absent COVID, there's no way I'd pay $30 to rent a first-run movie in my home.

That, plus it's not exactly a rental. As long as you're planning to stay subscribed to Disney+, you'll be able to watch it again. I wouldn't call it ownership either because it requires the subscription be renewed, but it's closer to ownership than a traditional 48-hour rental on a sliding scale.

I'd easily end up spending MORE than $30 for two tickets, popcorn and soda.

That's exactly why I can't wrap my head around the fee. If I went to see it once in theaters, I would have gone to a matinee, which costs $8.15 here. I would have been by myself and not bought any snacks or drinks. So that's a markup of +$21.84 versus what I would have paid for a theatrical experience I'm not getting here. For Black Widow or Soul, I can rationalize that because I often go to MCU or Pixar films multiple times. For Mulan, I'll wait.

Myself, I've never seen the animated 'Mulan'.

The original is also streaming on Disney+ too, so you should absolutely watch that after you're done with the new one. It is one I'm very fond of from my childhood, so I'm biased. But even though you're not, it should be a very interesting comparison. Just make sure you avoid the wildly inferior direct-to-video cheapquel, which will also pop up when you search for Mulan.

 

[Mark Booth]

We really enjoyed live-action 'Mulan'. I've read that some people feel it has been "Star Wars -fied" but, frankly, I think it is just "Disney-fied", plain and simple. The film is emotionally manipulative but does so with regard to family and honor, so I found the manipulation acceptable.

The Booth Bijou gives live-action 'Mulan' 4.5 out of 5 stars. I can't compare it to the animated 'Mulan' just yet (we plan to watch it tomorrow or Monday) but, on its own, it's an excellent film. That said, my two favorite Disney live-action remakes (so far) are 'Cinderella' and 'Beauty and the Beast'.

Mark

 

[Mark Booth]

That, plus it's not exactly a rental. As long as you're planning to stay subscribed to Disney+, you'll be able to watch it again. I wouldn't call it ownership either because it requires the subscription be renewed, but it's closer to ownership than a traditional 48-hour rental on a sliding scale.

My Disney+ subscription expires toward the end of November. I will definitely be renewing. There were a slew of Disney films released in 4K that I was planning to buy on 4K Blu-ray when the Disney+ announcement came in. I would have EASILY spent more than $70 a year on the discs. The films look fantastic in 4K Dolby Vision streamed via my Apple TV 4K.

BTW, live-action 'Mulan' was no exception. Absolutely gorgeous!

Mark

 

[Ejanss]

Myself, I've never seen the animated 'Mulan'. I will be going into the live-action 'Mulan' with no preconceived notions of what it should be.

That's okay, the fact that the live-action version doesn't bear the SLIGHTEST BLESSED RESEMBLANCE to the original won't spoil your eventual viewing of the animated version.

It would seem like the hardcore animated Mulan fans should know by now what they are getting, so complaints from them (if that's who they are) that amount to "it's different!" seem like self-fulfilling unhappiness.

It's basically the same double-edged sword Disney faced when they were cranking out unnecessary Broadway musicals after Lion King, and discovered audiences didn't warm to Tarzan or Little Mermaid onstage:
If it's TOO close to the original, why bother (outside of the "Cosplay pageant" appeal), and if it wanders too far off the original, why the need to sell the beloved house brand to core fans?

In this case, though, they weren't selling Mulan to core fans, they were selling it to Chinese Communist state-censors, who thought Zootopia was "subversive Western propaganda".

 

[Jake Lipson]

BTW, live-action 'Mulan' was no exception. Absolutely gorgeous!

This is the main reason why it's a shame this wasn't able to go to theaters in a traditional manner. It is what it is, and I'm not saying that I would go during COVID, but even the reviews I've seen that didn't like the film have gone out of their way to praise the visuals and say how well-crafted it is. It seems like something that would have really benefited from the big screen experience if it had been able to release at a different time.

Nikki Caro certainly knows how to tell a story with striking visual power. If you haven't seen her other film, Whale Rider, I highly recommend that. I don't think there is a 4K version of it, but Shout Factory released a Blu-ray.

 

[Wayne_j]

Most of the youtube critics I regularly follow do not like this adaptation. That does not make me want to spend the $30 I would be reluctant to spend in the first place.

 

[Jason_V]

We did get it and watched on Saturday afternoon. I'd call it a more adult version of the story; I'm also in the "it's gorgeous" camp. Neither of us found any glaring problems with the movie and enjoyed it for what it is. However, I did have a problem with some of the timing and being told, not shown the passage of time in the film. The villains have zero depth, though I'm used to that.

Do I regret the purchase? No at all. We had a good movie afternoon in the comfort of the house.

 

[Mike Frezon]

NYT:

Disney Wanted to Make a Splash in China With ‘Mulan.’ It Stumbled Instead.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I just went to Vudu to redeem a digital copy code and was surprised to see an ad for Mulan on the front page. They've uploaded a pre-order page which says it is to be released on October 6, which is next Tuesday. The cost is $29.99, which is the same as Disney+.

So, after about a month of exclusivity to Disney+, they are now offering the movie to other vendors for the same price. I'm not sure what that says about the Disney+ experiment. People can now get it and own it without having to maintain a Disney+ subscription.

I think this would probably also indicate that it will receive a Blu-ray release sooner than later. Because it is no longer exclusive to their platform, they might as well give people the opportunity to buy it in as many ways as possible.

 

[Jake Lipson]

As of today, Mulan is now available digitally on Movies Anywhere linked platforms. The price is still $30. But now you don't have to have a Disney+ account to access the film.

It will be interesting to see if this does well for Disney or not. They potentially get it out to a wider audience, but have forfeited a high-profile Disney+ exclusive after only about a month.

I'm still waiting for the non-premium Disney+ release in December to watch it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I doubt they forfeited anything. Everyone who had Disney+ who wanted to pay for the movie has done so by now. This is smart business to expand the audience while retaining the premium price. It’ll also probably help with future PVOD titles if they do more of them because now the audience has a clear idea of what the process will be.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I doubt they forfeited anything.

Except maybe new subscribers when it goes down to the regular Disney+ tier in December.

But iyou're right that t's probably worth more to them to make it available on other platforms than to retain that exclusivity.

 

[Wayne_j]

He way over reacts in this video. I always saw Mulan eventually being released to other services such as iTunes and Amazon. The $30 Disney + rental was the equivalent of buying a movie ticket and then eventually the movie gets released digitally or on disc and then finally as part of a service's bundle.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I always saw Mulan eventually being released to other services such as iTunes and Amazon.

I absolutely agree. I'm a bit surprised that it came this soon, but I expected they would do it eventually.

Also, losing access to the film is only an issue if you're going to cancel the subscription. I'm guessing that the majority of people who felt that Mulan was worth $30 to see in September are people who love Disney enough and find value in having a continuous subscription to the service.

Plus, they were extremely transparent about their future plans for the film. They didn't say it was coming to Movies Anywhere, but they did say that it will no longer require an upcharge on Disney+ as of December 4, and they said that before it went live. Everyone who paid for it from Disney+ knew that it was $30 to see it early and then they would do something else with it by December. That's what they delivered.

It's still a better deal than $19.99 for a 48-hour rental as the other studios are doing with their PVOD stuff.

I really don't see what the issue is here.

 

[Wayne_j]

And you really have to only stay subscribed for 3 months after which time you get the movie anytime you subscribe in the future.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Disney marketed this as "premier access." They didn't say "exclusive access for the rest of time." Of course they would try to monetize it in other ways at some point.

Plus, they're harping on it being available in 4K on other platforms. My understanding is that it is available on Disney+ in 4K for equipped subscribers. So what's the problem?

 

[Malcolm R]

I think it may make people hesitate to pay the premium in the future. I'm sure some felt they were getting an insider exclusive that non-Disney folks didn't have access to. Now that they find the exclusive only lasted one month, the bloom may be off that rose.

 

[Jake Lipson]

For me, it wouldn't. If Disney does this again with a title I want to see, I would pay it.

Mulan wasn't that title for me, but Soul would be. And then I would fully expect to buy Soul again on Blu-ray whenever that physical release happens. Even if it starts on Disney+, I would be more pissed if Soul didn't get a physical Blu-ray release to go with my Pixar collection than if it does.

Plus, they already said Mulan would be included in the subscription fee as of December. People knew they were buying the right to see it early.

And you really have to only stay subscribed for 3 months after which time you get the movie anytime you subscribe in the future.

You don't even have to do that necessarily. The website makes clear that if you unsubscribe and then resubscribe, your access to Mulan would be reinstated. I'm not sure why anyone would want to do this, but it was possible to watch it in September, then cancel for October, and re-subscribe in November and it would be given back to you before the paywall drops.