The color-grading gives an endearing mood that one might call it melancholic.
The cinematography of the movie is also notable. Director Ma Jingle gives us an honest sense of equilibrium by carefully and artfully melding history and culture, action, drama, and romance in one. It fixated less on the combat, unlike other historical Chinese war films.
The direction of this movie is focused on the character development of Mulan as she struggles between giving up or to continue fighting. She and Wentai would later be promoted to become generals themselves. Instead of escaping, Mulan stayed to fight, eventually killing the enemy’s general. But Wentai released her when the Rouran nomads ambushed their camp. Wentai would soon find out Mulan’s secret a strip-search was ordered and she admitted to a crime she did not commit to avoid revealing that she was a woman. A fighter since she was a small girl, her feminine features betrayed her as she impressed her fellow soldiers with her skills in martial arts, one of them was Vice Commander Wentai (Chen). Having women in camp was an offense that warrants death. When Mulan (Zhao) joined the military, she was immediately recognized by her childhood friend, Fei Xiaohu (Chan) who keeps her identity a secret so that she will not be punished. While there were no talking dragons and happy-singing involved, the 2-hour-long film holds a certain musicality to it: the ringing of swords as they clash, the melody of the soldiers’ cries for victory and freedom, and the bittersweet harmony as the Rouran and Wei states settled an agreement. The legendary heroine in this movie, just like the Disney one, disguises herself as a man to join the Wei army that she may take her ailing father’s duty. Starring Zhao Wei, Chen Kun, and Jaycee Chan, Mulan: Rise of A Warrior’s plot is almost just like the animated Disney adaptation that we all know and love but at the same time very distinct.