5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney's 'Mulan'.
Starring: Liu Yifei, Yoson An, Gong Li, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott LeeAdventure | 100% |
Family | 86% |
Action | 44% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Italian: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Disney's latest live action update of one of its cherished classic animated titles is Mulan, Director Niki Caro's (Whale Rider, The Zookeeper's Wife) mostly faithful translation that does away with much of the animated film's music and humor without sacrificing narrative structure and various other plot specifics. While the movie is a bit on the rote and generic side of the ledger, it's quite the physical specimen otherwise, a picture of electric choreography, exceedingly fine photography, abundant color, and rich world detail. It's a fun watch though not a deep watch, a quality technical outing with just enough narrative draw and purposeful characterization to make it a worthwhile cinematic venture.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.
Per IMDB Mulan was photographed at resolutions of 4.5K and 6.5K
but finished at a 2K digital intermediate. Disney's 2160p/HDR UHD does offer a fairly stout upgrade next to the excellent Blu-ray. The picture benefits from both the resolution boost and the
HDR grading. The former brings with it obviously improved textural delights, a firmer, more tangible sharpness that renders the Blu-ray looking a bit
smooth in comparison (but fine in isolation). The UHD allows viewers to see more intricate facial and armor features, bringing out the absolute best in
both facets. The armor is particularly delightful; every texture, scratch, material imperfection, all of it jumps off the screen. Overall sharpness is terrific,
and the audience is completely drawn into the movie's world as a result. Environments and other details are likewise beneficiaries. Never mind the
"upscaled" label; this one proves its worth at 2160p at every turn. Likewise, the HDR color grading brings with it a welcome improvement to color depth
and punch; one need only to look at the film's title card in the opening minutes to appreciate the improvements to the red lettering (and the black
background at that). But it's certainly not the only place where HDR shines. The film is abundantly colorful, full of intense reds, greens, blues, and other
examples that leap off the screen with generous saturation and perfect contrast well beyond the Blu-ray's accurate, but comparatively lacking, SDR
palette. Add in beautiful blue skies, rewarding whites, accurate skin tones, and deep blacks, and there's nothing here to detract from one of the more
picturesque UHDs on the market.
Mulan's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is generously spacious. So too was the Blu-ray's 7.1 lossless soundtrack, but the greater overhead expansion -- here often used in subtle rather than prodigious ways -- creates a fuller sense of the film's environments, whether clanking armor in training, jovial troops at camp, flags rustling in the wind, or the rush of battle. But like the 7.1 track it's a bit wanting for volume at calibrated reference, though again it's not so shortchanged as to really necessitate an upward adjustment. The Atmos track seems to bring with it at worst a mildly and at best a moderately more impactful low end response. Elements like running horses or an avalanche fail to meet the full demand, but there's a little more punch here which reinforces some key elements and offers a quality support structure for the engaging surround activity heard during battle, particularly as arrows swoosh through the stage. There are absolutely no complaints about stage expansion, sound movement, and precision placement; in all of these areas the track delights and dominates. Add in a slightly better low end and perfect dialogue reproduction and this track is clearly a step ahead of the Blu-ray's 7.1 listen.
Mulan's UHD disc contains no supplemental content, but the bundled Blu-ray contains several featurettes, deleted scenes, and music videos.
A Movies
Anywhere digital copy
voucher are included with purchase. This release ships with a slipcover.
Mulan's live action adaptation feels superfluous beyond the surface. There's little here that's new beyond some nifty fight moves, slightly expanded character details, and superb production values. It's very familiar in story and layout but removes may of the humorous asides from the animated film, resulting in a leaner, more focused film. It's not necessarily better, but it's different enough to make for a fine companion to the original animated picture. Plus, it's a rather fun watch on its own. Disney's UHD soars beyond even the excellent Blu-ray with razor-sharp 2160p textures and resoundingly superior HDR colors. The Atmos audio is a bit better than the Blu-ray's 7.1 track, too. Extras are a wash. Highly recommended.
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