Mulan
Synopsis
Mulan, a young, spirited and adventurous woman takes her father’s place in the Imperial Chinese Army, disguised as a man, in order to fend off the terror of Bori Khan, a ruthless conqueror.
Review
While not as remarkable as its classic animated predecessor, the new version of Mulan nonetheless retains and at times recreates the classic Disney charm and magic. Furthermore it takes bold creative decisions, deviating from the original, to ground the film in reality, and therefore having a slightly darker tone.
The film boasts of impressive action and stunt choreography, incorporating the wire fu technique (a cornerstone of a bygone era of action cinema and filmmaking). Director Niki Caro compliments the action scenes with memorable cinematography, whilst also delighting the viewer with picturesque shots of the Chinese landscape.
Caro’s direction, coupled with the stand out performances of Yifei Liu and Donnie Yen, Harry Gregson-Williams’ musical score and the production design, Mulan bears the distinction of being the rare Disney live action remake that is justified and entertaining, alongside The Jungle Book and Aladdin.
The New Mutants
Synopsis
Five young mutants struggling to come to terms with their superpowers must come together to fight their way out of a mysterious and dangerous facility.
Review
The film’s initial trailer released in late 2017 showcased viewers a glimpse into what this film would hold. Poised to be an interesting, experimental, grim and horror-riddled take on the superhero genre, The New Mutants hit a string of bad luck owing to production delays, release date shuffles, studio mergers, reshoots and a worldwide pandemic.
The resulting product squanders its own strong potential and is a watered down version of said potential, never fully taking advantage of its horror premise and elements and ultimately deviating into another stale, generic and by-the-numbers superhero film. This proves to be quite underwhelming coming from the X-Men series, known for highly experimental entries, the likes of which include X-Men: First Class, Deadpool and Logan.
Furthermore, the film’s swift runtime is not enough to immerse viewers fully in the world of the film, as the plot zips by and does not provide the opportunity to explore the characters and their interpersonal dynamics. Despite the presence of talented and young actors such as Anya Taylor Joy and Maisie Williams, the film has no memorable performances.
Barring the remainder of the film, the second act emerges as the only memorable, exciting and thrilling portion and is the closest thing to what was promised to viewers all those years ago from the first trailer.
The New Mutants thus closes the long running X-Men franchise on a disappointing note.
Enola Holmes
Synopsis
Enola sets out on a journey, against the whims of her elder brothers Mycroft and Sherlock, to unravel the mystery behind her mother’s sudden disappearance.
Review
A unique and heartfelt expansion of the Sherlock Holmes mythos, Enola Holmes is a refreshing change and what looks as the start of a franchise.
Enola Holmes has the selling point of an impeccably assembled and skilled cast, consisting of and ranging from veteran British thespians to popular stars. Millie Bobby Brown as the central character Enola puts on an energetic and sweet natured performance that makes great use of her star making abilities and acting chops.
Henry Cavill shines as Sherlock Holmes, bringing a subtle and soft-hearted quality to the character that may clash with the way he was originally written and envisioned, but is nevertheless a welcome change. Cavill makes a strong point that he can essay the character effortlessly, joining the ranks of Benedict Cumberbatch and Robert Downey Jr., and it would definitely be fruitful seeing him in future films.
The storytelling structure and the fourth-wall breaking format is another high point of the film, executed flawlessly and often with humorous results. However, the film fails to find it’s footing as it loses focus of the central mystery and results in an underwhelming climax.
Nonetheless, Enola Holmes is a fun-filled ride with its own rewards, and warrants a view for those who are fans of the Sherlock Holmes stories, shows and films.
Texts of A Pop Culture Buff 