Mulan (1998)

Well, when the most motivational song ever is in your movie, it is likely to be up for multiple viewings. Mulan is a big favorite among many of my friends, and I feel many of my generation see it as the last great Disney movie. Based loosely on the legend of Hua Mulan, the film traces the adventures of Mulan, a young woman living in China during the Han Dynasty. When the Huns invade and the men of the country are called to war, she secretly takes her injured father's place so he won't be in danger. With the help of Mushu, a wise-cracking mini-dragon, she learns to act like a man and trains to become one of the most capable soldiers in her unit. She fights bravely but is constantly in danger of being found out.

Is it weird that one of Disney's funniest and most endearing movies is centered around a brutal war? I mean it's a fictional invasion and all, but still. And just to get it out of the way: yes it's totally not cool how the movie demonizes Huns, who were a real group of people who probably didn't have gray skin, fanged teeth, and crazy pupils. It's not as bad asThe Secret of Kells's portrayal of Vikings, though. Finally, while the depiction of ancient Chinese culture is pretty iffy, nothing is malicious and I understand it's all watered down to be more palatable to American children. I remember we watched this several times in my World Religions class (I had to take a religion class every single semester in high school, this was the only one not about Catholicism), because I think they mention Confucius once and there's some praying to ancestors.

Now that that's all out of the way, can we talk about how great this movie is? I mean, jeez. It's got a lady in it. And she's the star. And she's not a princess, she's not white, she almost never talks about romance, and she totally kicks ass. This is not a love story, it's a story of a woman who feels out of place in her assigned lot in life, fitting in neither as a future obedient wife nor as a soldier in disguise. She spends the whole movie working to resolve these separate parts of her personality, first fighting the more "masculine", unladylike tendencies and later fighting her feminine aspects. It's an interesting character study hidden within an animated musical comedy/drama, and one that has likely been helpful to many a young female viewer. I know that as a 10 year old tomboy who didn't quite fit in with most of the girls I knew, I could appreciate it. So good job, Disney, for once. I don't think it passes the Bechdel test, though, since the only other women in it are always talking about getting husbands. Oh well, baby steps, eh?

The music is pretty great, though it sort of peters out as the story becomes more dramatic. The animation is standard Disney fare, but with some nice soft color schemes and attention to delicate movements. I dig Eddie Murphy's comedic bent as Mushu, getting in one of my favorite movie line as a kid: "Mulan, did you see those Huns? They just popped out of the snow! Like DAISIES!" Ha ha ha ha. Plus Donny Osmond is in this movie. Awesome. Mulan rules.