Disney released the new live-action Mulan for viewers on Sept. 4, 2020, on their live-streaming platform Disney+.

The movie shares the familiar inspiring tale of a young woman who risks disgrace for her family and joins the Chinese soldiers and disguises herself as a man in order to protect her aging and frail father from the draft, all the while proving that a woman can defend and even save her country despite culturally enforced gender roles.

If you have an experience similar to many lovers of the original animated film, Mulan brings back memories of a funny cartoon dragon side-kicks, catchy tunes and a true Disney Princess love-story.

These are not going to be found in the live-action film, The movie takes on a much more serious tone than the 1998 Animated film.

The overall storyline has a familiar feel throughout the film, with several scenes that give a sense of deja-vu. However, it is in its own right an entirely separate film.

What was profound is the focus of the film being completely based upon sharing the idea that women can and will accomplish anything they set their minds to; a far different concept than Disney is generally known for.

There were a lot of changes in the movie, with new main characters being introduced while some from the original film being left out altogether.

Aside from the overall familiarity of the story, the second half of the film really has a mind of its own.

It was initially frustrating to see the differences in the two movies. If the viewer makes the decision to accept the changes and try to see the movie with an open mindset, the change could be truly appreciated.

The story was really inspiring and it was nearly impossible to look away.

This version eliminates the generic Disney princess ending altogether and has the potential to teach young girls, and women, that not everything important in life involves love or romance. It also encourages sacrifice, commitment to family and most of all yourself. It’s definitely a must-see.

To view the film, a Disney+ user must have an upgrade known as Premier Access which costs $29.99 in addition to the base membership fee.