Episode 26 - Mulan (2020)

The end of 2020 is here, so Not A Bomb Podcast is looking back at this unprecedented year in film and examining the biggest bombs of the year. First up is Disney’s Mulan, starring friend of the podcast - Donnie Yen.

Based on the “Ballad of Mulan” and the beloved 1998 animated film of the same name, Mulan didn’t get a US theatrical release due to COVID-19. The film was finally released in the United States on Disney+ for an additionally $29.99 fee (Chinese audiences got to experience the film in the theaters). The controversies don’t stop there. The film was criticized for it’s cultural appropriation, historical inaccuracies, filming in a controversial part of China, lack of representation behind the camera, and the lead actors support for police brutality.

Troy and Brad examine all the controversies, as well as the inevitable comparisons to the 1998 film, and ultimately decide if this Disney spectacle is a ‘bomb”. Yep, two grown men with daughters spend over two hours talking about a Disney movie - pack a lunch, it’s a long episode!

Mulan is directed by Niki Caro, and stars Yifei Lui, Donnie Yen, Tzi M, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Ron Yuan, Gong Li, and Jet Li.

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