So if you read my review already you know how I feel about the new live action remake of Mulan. If you haven’t read it yet and my thoughts on whether the live action Mulan is scary for kids, go check it out here.

Mulan hits Disney+ on Premium access September 4th. For $30 you can watch it as many times as you’d like. Or, if you’re more of the patient type, you can wait until December when it arrives on Disney+ with your regular subscription.

This review with my kids’ reactions does include some spoilers. So if you want a spoiler-free review, you’ll want to check out my other post. If you’re ok with a few spoilers (I’ll mark them in bold with a (spoiler) warning so you can skip over them), then keep on reading! 

Live Action Mulan: Is it Scary for Kids?

For some context, “T” is my 7-year old son. He loves animals and action. Jayda is my 10-year-old daughter who LOVES Disney movies and she’s a true critic. 

They both typically really enjoy the new Disney movies but are honest with their opinions about what they like and didn’t like. Towards the end of the review you’ll see comparisons to some of the other movies we’ve seen. At the very end of the post there are links to some of our other reviews if you’d like a comparison to what we initially thought of some of the other Disney new releases.

What did you think of the live action Mulan remake? 

J: It was good. I loved the beginning. I liked getting to see her as a little girl.

T:  I loved it. I kinda liked it because she was strong and there were strong boys. 

What was your favorite part?

T: (Spoiler) I liked when the witch was trying to save Mulan.

J: Seeing Mulan as a little girl. I think it’s fun seeing how her backstory relates to her life.

How would you compare the violence to a Marvel movie?

J: There’s definitely more violence in a Marvel movie. I guess I liked the Marvel movies because I hadn’t read the comic books, and I have seen another version of Mulan.

T: Marvel movies have more fighting. Mulan is better for little kids.

Did you notice a message of girl power?

J: Yea? A lot of Disney movies have a message of girl power. But I guess that’s cause boys already think they’re strong. 

T: *whispers* “I kinda wanted the boys to be stronger.” I like that it had some strong boys like the king. 

How would you compare it to the other Mulan movie?

J: I liked the beginning and middle of this way more than the first one. I was a little sad that Mushu wasn’t in it. But it was still a really good movie because it had extra characters. Mulan had a sister. And Shang wasn’t in it, but I liked the movie more because of it because she basically fights her battles on her own. Because she realizes that it’s not right to pretend to be somebody that you’re not. (Spoiler) And she comes back with her hair down and says “kill me if you want, but listen first.”

T: They didn’t show when they were kids. There wasn’t a bad guy who explodes. 

What did you think was the lesson?

J: Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.

T: I don’t know. That you should tell the truth?

Was it scary for kids?

J: I would rate it PG-7. I thought it was a little scary. Because the bad characters were scary. It seemed action packed. It was a little hard to see everything. 

T: No. Well I didn’t like the bats cause they were loud. 

Were you sad there wasn’t any singing?

J: Yes, I really liked I’ll make a man out of you.

T: It was good that there wasn’t any singing. 

Were you sad that there wasn’t Mushu?

T: Well there was a dragon, but we didn’t see it a lot. I wish we saw it more. I like how it was because he could fly, but in the other he couldn’t.

J: Yes, I was a little sad. I like Mushu because I think he made the movie really funny in the other one, but like I said before I like that in this movie she fights her battles on her own. 

Did you think it was funny?

T: No.

J: Some parts were a little funny but not like laughing out loud.  

Which version do you like more?

J: That’s the hardest question in the world. I think I like the original cause it wasn’t as scary and it has the characters that I like. I liked the beginning but I didn’t like the ending because it was so action packed and kind of violent. 

T: I liked the live action more because I like movies in live action more because they look real. I kind of like both. 

How does it compare to the other live action Disney movies?

J: I would say Aladdin is my favorite, then Beauty and the Beast, then Cinderella then Mulan. 

T: Jungle Book is my favorite. But there was no Komodo Dragon. Know what a Komodo Dragon could do to Sher Kahn? It could just bite him. Then let me think… Lion King. Then maybe the live action Mulan. Aladdin or Mulan? Maybe Aladdin. Beauty and the Beast or Mulan? Mulan.

Do you want to see it again?

J: No. If we watched it again I’d watch the beginning then walk out the theater room at the end. It’s not that it was scary, it’s just that I didn’t like it in my personal opinion.

T: I mean no. How come? I mean I’m ok with it. 

Did you think it was boring?

T: NO! Why would I ever say that. 

J: Boring? No.  

What would rank it on a scale of 1-10?

J: I would rank it a 4.5

T: I think a 7. 

Mom: Oh that’s what you gave The One and Only Ivan. 

T: Oh ok, then maybe a 5. 

You really didn’t like it? 

J: No, the ending ruined it all. I don’t like seeing people get stabbed by stuff, it’s just me. 

T: I’m like fine with it. 

It’s $30 for people to watch on Disney+ until December, would you recommend people buy it or wait?

J: I would say it’s ok if you rent it but only if you think you’ll really really like it.

T: I would just save my money and watch it later. 

So there you have my 7 and 10-year-old’s thoughts on the movie. Take that for what it is. We tend to think that the adults will really enjoy this movie, but your kids might not. If you share a Disney+ account you can pay for the premium access and everyone can watch it as much as you want, but if at some point you give up your Disney+ subscription, the movie goes with it.

Are you going to pay the premium or wait?

Tags: Disney movie review, disney movies, live action disney movies, movie review, movie reviews, Mulan