In terms of sexual situations, this film is clearly rated G and pulls a few Xena: Warrior Princess moves by making Mulan and Wentai’s physical exchanges such as hand to hand combat or tending to wounds the equivalent of sex in their reactions. I actually thought they were a good pair with a lot in common though I was not amused by Wentai’s drama queen antics (he loves a good plot twist and if there was not a war, he would become a soap opera writer). Mulan: Rise of a Warrior really emphasizes a potential work romance with Wentai, the next best fighter after her.
![hua mulan rise of a warrior hua mulan rise of a warrior](https://img5.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/c/s/csg7nvl5el8gsc7l.jpg)
I wish that she had more fight scenes, but it would have ruined the lesson of the film that war is bad, and later on when I found out that Michelle Yeoh, my fave, was considered and passed over for Zhao, I began to wonder if I really wanted that lesson if it meant not getting Yeoh (no disrespect intended to Zhao, who was great). When she broadens the application of her ability as a commander, her fighting style has not changed, just expanded to meet the challenge of higher stakes. Mulan is all about strategy, cunning and swiftness, and when Zhao threw her hands, I believed that she could kick any opponent’s butt. I did prefer the fight choreography in this film over the Disney live action film because Mulan’s personality is reflected in her fight scenes.
![hua mulan rise of a warrior hua mulan rise of a warrior](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/mulan-movie-story-origins-04.jpg)
The violence is rarely the kind that you can cheer on like John Wick or a Marvel movie. The fighting is realistic and eventually monotonous, especially the epic battle scenes, to emphasize the point that war is anything but glorious. There are no magical or fantasy elements. The movie’s palette is very monochromatic as it unfolds.
![hua mulan rise of a warrior hua mulan rise of a warrior](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhQSr8sUcAI7hP5.png)
Because Mulan: Rise of a Warrior is supposed to be a grim movie, there are times when it feels as if it is a black and white film.