Mulan 2010

Release Date : 8 January 2010 (Indonesia)

Mulan, known in Chinese as Hua Mulan, is a 2009 Chinese film starring Zhao Wei as the legendary Hua Mulan. The director, Jingle Ma, has explained that this movie is vastly different from the Disney cartoon film and adheres more to his imagination.[citation needed] Zhao Wei was cast by Ma as the titular Mulan in favor of actresses Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, and Liu Yifei, who were reportedly also considered for the role.

The film also features a cameo by the Russian singer, Vitas, who also helped publicize the film by providing a song entitled "Beneath the Glory" for the film score
Mulan follows the Chinese folktale of Hua Mulan (Zhao Wei, about a young woman who dresses as a man to fight in the war in place of her father. At the start of the film, Mulan lives with her aging father, a former soldier for the Northern Wei dynasty. One day, envoys from the emperor arrive, announcing that an army is being mustered to fight off an invasion by the Rouran. As her father prepares to again go to war, Mulan, in the middle of the night, takes his armor and his sword and takes his place.

In camp, she meets and befriends several other soldiers, including Xiaohu (Jaycee Chan), a fellow villager who recognizes Mulan but promises to keep her gender a secret. She also meets Wentai (Chen Kun), an officer who takes a liking to the young soldier. Mulan's identity is at jeopardy, however, when Mulan admits to stealing a jade pendant owned by another soldier to avoid participating in a strip search. Scheduled for execution, she is only saved when Wentai loosens her binds during a surprise attack by Rouran. Rather than escaping, Mulan proves her bravery when she turns the tide of battle by killing the enemy general. Mulan's exploits are rewarded and she and Wentai are promoted through the ranks of the army, eventually reaching the status of general. Despite their victories, Wentai realizes that Mulan is still too emotionally attached to both himself and to her men, and fakes his death during an ambush by the Rouran. Hiding in the medical tent, Wentai watches as Mulan first falls into deep despair before eventually overcoming her grief to become one of the emperor's finest leaders.

After twelve years of fighting the Rouran are near a breaking point. The son of the Rouran Dayan, Mendu (Hu Jun) nevertheless still thirsts for power and kills his less ambitious father to take the Rouran crown. Gathering an army of 200,000, he invades the Wei heartland once more. In response, Mulan develops a plan that will trap and eventually destroy the invasion, despite the Rouran superiority in men and supplies. She is given command of 20,000 men and wins an early victory before she is forced to seek shelter in a canyon. Awaiting support from the commander in chief of the Wei forces, she eventually finds herself betrayed by her superior when no supplies and no support is forthcoming. Wounded with an army slowly dying from thirst, Mulan prepares for a martyr's death when Wentai reveals himself to be a prince and offers himself in exchange for the safety of Mulan and her soldiers.

As her men retreat, Mulan sneaks alone into the Rouran camp and confronts Mendu's sister, who dreams of peace between the Wei and the Rouran nations. She convinces the Rouran princess to aid her, and the two assassinate Mendu and rescue Wentai. Mulan returns to the Wei capital where she at last reveals herself as a woman and not a man. The Wei emperor nevertheless rewards her and announces that his son, Weitai, will marry the Rouran princess to bring peace to the land. Mulan asks only to return to her native village. Wentai pays a visit and asks Mulan to run away with him. Mulan, however, convinces the young prince of the necessity of sacrificing for their country. Understanding this, Wentai sadly leaves the village, leaving Mulan forever.(wikipedia)