The 1998 Disney animated flick Mulan spawned the oft-karaoked song Reflection and it is making a comeback in a beautiful way.
To you Gen-Z folks, this was our go-to ditty before Frozen’s Let It Go.
Fans were brimming over with feels when the familiar orchestral strains of the tune kicked in during a pivotal moment in the movie’s latest trailer on Thursday (6 Dec).
You’re advised to watch the full clip in private, with your headphones plugged in for the full emotional experience.
The trailer begins with a brand new scene of Mulan’s father teaching her why the “phoenix sits at the right hand of the emperor”.
He explains,
She is both beautiful and strong. Your job is to bring honour to the family.
As he questions if Mulan is able to do that, iconic frames of Mulan getting ‘made up’ for her presentation to the matchmaker appear in a gorgeous montage.
Mulan’s country is in the midst of getting invaded, and a man is summoned from every family to fight in the war.
Without any sons to offer up to his king, Mulan’s ailing father – played by prolific Hong Kong actor Tzi Ma – pledges to defend his country in this emotional scene.
Hold your tissues close for this one, we won’t spoil it for you.
As the trailer draws to a close, Mulan declares triumphantly as Reflection‘s familiar instrumentals swell to a rousing crescendo,
I am Hua Mulan. I will bring honour to us all.
The anthem has clearly aged well with time, and is synonymous with the coming-of-age story of a brave young warrior who was willing to sacrifice her life to protect her family.
The ever-beautiful Chinese actress Gong Li’s first look as the main villainess in the movie is also revealed.
She’s a witch who can transform into the sharply-clawed bird companion of the villain Bori Khan, portrayed onscreen by Jason Scott Lee.
Donnie Yen – of Ip Man fame – stars as a mentor figure for young Mulan as she dons her father’s armor to pose as a soldier in the war.
He’ll be tasked with unenviable mission of transforming Mulan’s boyish compatriots into men — fit and trained soldiers ready to fight in the upcoming war.
Kungfu master & actor Jet Li – minted a Singaporean as of 2009 – cameos as the Emperor of China, as part of a stellar cast of movie veterans.
As compared to disappointing first movie teaser dropped – sorely lacking Mushu the dragon & the movie’s award-winning score – fans are now praising the impeccable visuals, talented cast and acting.
Many fans added that a true-to-form version of Mulan’s story would be more culturally satisfying than an entertaining musical.
We also appreciate the absence of a love interest in the trailer — the legend of Mulan is less about her lover and more about her journey to greatness.
Whichever side you’re on, we’re glad that Disney is going all-in on the Asian representation, sparing no efforts in casting veteran movie stars whom we know and love in Southeast Asia.
They’ll definitely pull off kickass performances onscreen come 26 Mar 2020, when the movie is released in Singapore.
Did you enjoy the latest Mulan trailer? Or do you think the franchise has been over-milked? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Featured image adapted from Disney on YouTube.
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