To be honest,
when Eddie Murphy is voice casting (like he did in the Shrek franchise),
the animation is guaranteed to have its moments. That’s exactly what Mulan delivers—this
musical action comedy is packed with moments of pure laughter, thanks to
Murphy’s character, Mushu.
Also, major respect to the animators. Mulan is culturally authentic,
fitting the Chinese setting it’s based on, with enough action scenes to make
you appreciate the journey the movie takes to deliver its message.
Mulan is the 36th feature in Disney’s Renaissance Era, sandwiched
between Hercules (1997) and Tarzan (1999), the last film of
the era.
Mulan’s tale is
inspired by the legendary story of Hua Mulan, described in The Ballad of
Mulan as a woman who took her aged father’s place in the army. She fought
for twelve years and earned high honors.
Disney, being Disney, took that story and crafted an even grander tale,
complete with dragons, a murder plot, and turning Mulan into an even bigger
hero than the ballad portrayed.
The ancestors order a small dragon named Mushu to awaken the “great stone dragon” to protect Mulan. However, Mushu accidentally destroys the stone dragon while trying to wake it up. To cover his mistake, he decides to protect Mulan himself.
In the army
camp, Mulan struggles to maintain her disguise as a man, with Mushu offering
“helpful” but often misguided advice. Through rigorous training, she develops
the skills to become a capable warrior.
However, things take a turn during a battle when Mulan is injured in the chest,
revealing her true identity during medical treatment. She is expelled from the
army.
On her journey home, Mulan discovers that the battle they fought—the one that
led to her expulsion—wasn’t actually won. Danger still looms for her comrades
and the emperor, and she realizes she must take action.
Mulan is a
great movie that highlights the challenges of tasks traditionally reserved for
men. In today’s #MeToo era and the push for female empowerment, if the movie
were released now, it would likely perform even better at the box office than
it did initially.
Mulan is a fantastic female character, and her story is one you can watch and
re-watch countless times. While the movie doesn’t have as many memorable songs
as Tarzan, it’s still a standout animation and deserves its place among
Disney’s best.
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