David Farnor | On 07, Sep 2020

This weekend saw Disney release its live-action remake of Mulan online via Disney+ – a move that ruffled the feathers of cinemas around the world, as the House of Mouse bypassed theatres in most countries and instead introduces a “Premium Access” fee of £19.99 for subscribers.

But the film has already found controversy for another reason entirely, with calls to boycott the film reignited in the past week. Those calls come from activists responding to the film’s star, Liu Yifei, who made comments in support of the Hong Kong police, at a time when they were accused of using excessive force against pro-democracy protestors.

Liu reportedly shared a post on Weibo from the government-run newspaper People’s Daily in August 2019, saying: “I also support the Hong Kong police. You can beat me up now. What a shame for Hong Kong.”

The post was particularly controversial due to the plot and theme of Mulan, which follows a defiant young woman who stands up to fight for her country, her family and honour.

“The film is filled with strong messages and moments, some of which take on extra layers of resonance,” we wrote in our review.

“Liu Yifei‘s performance here is note perfect, a fiercely determined turn that doesn’t feel the need to soften the edges… This is spectacular family entertainment and perhaps the best of the live-action Disney remakes to date.”

 

Mulan (2020) is available on Disney+ for a one-off Premier Access fee of £19.99. It will be available as part of a regular £5.99 monthly subscription or a £59.99 yearly subscription from 4th December 2020.

 

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