Welcome back to my series where I review Disney classics. The last two articles were about Frozen 1 and 2 which are both somewhat newer movies. Today, we’re taking a time leap into the past and reviewing a movie that is actually just a bit older than me, Mulan. I really like this movie since, though it does have its flaws, Mulan is arguably the most badass protagonist in any Disney animated movie. So, let’s jump right into it!
The movie kicks off with a scene that takes place at the Great Wall of China. The main conflict is established immediately as the Huns attack and also… murder a guy? Wait, this is a children’s movie, right? Well, it happened off-screen so it’s okay. Also, the way the Huns are depicted in the movie is kinda racist. Their eyes really didn’t need to be yellow but we’ll get back to this a bit later. After the attack, the Emperor decides to give a conscription order, meaning one man from every family has to enlist in the army.
At this point, we get introduced to Mulan who lives with her family and is getting ready for marriage. The whole thing with the matchmaker where Mulan accidentally spills the tea on her is, of course, legendary. Things quickly get darker as an imperial officer announces the conscription order to the village. Mulan’s dad is the only man in the family so even though he is old and has an injury on his leg, he has to go. Mulan is having none of this and disguises herself as a man to go join the army in her father’s stead. The family guardian dragon Mushu goes with her to make her a war hero so that he can make up for breaking an important statue earlier.
Mulan gets to the military camp and with the help of Mushu, immediately manages to make a huge mess. At this point, we are introduced to commander Li Shang (who is definitely bisexual because he is absolutely into Mulan already before he finds out she’s a woman but that is beside the point) who immediately starts training the troops hard. There is a training montage to the tune of I’ll Make a Man out of You – LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS… Ahem, excuse me, this song is absolutely iconic – where Mulan is shown to grow stronger and more skilled. Soon the troops march for war while yet another iconic song, A Girl Worth Fighting For, plays, but the music ends very suddenly as they reach a village that has been completely destroyed by the Huns.
Here is where the action starts. The Hun army attacks the Chinese troops in overwhelming numbers. The troops are severely outmanned and only have one cannon left but Mulan, who is smart, figures out that instead of shooting it at the Huns, it’s better to shoot it at a snowy mountain and cause an avalanche. She proceeds to single-handedly murder almost the entire Hun army by burying them in snow but gets injured in the process. As she is being treated, everyone figures out that she is actually a woman. She should be executed for this crime but because of how much she helped them, the troops let her live and leave her behind as they head for the imperial city. Mulan, who stays in the mountains, finds out that the leader of the Huns, Shang Yu, as well as some of his men actually survived. They start heading for the imperial city and Mulan knows that she has to warn the citizens.
In the imperial city, a parade is being held to celebrate the troops’ victory. Mulan tries to tell people that the Huns are coming but no one is listening to her. Indeed, the Huns have infiltrated the city by hiding inside a dancing lion and as they get close to the Emperor, they kidnap him and take him inside the palace to hold him hostage. Mulan and her friends get inside by disguising themselves as concubines. They attack Shang Yu who is holding the emperor hostage but it does not go too well. As Shang Yu is about to kill Li Shang, Mulan tells him that she is actually the one who caused the avalanche and killed most of his men. Shang Yu attacks Mulan and they have an epic fight scene that ends on the roof, where Mushu shoots a bunch of fireworks at Shang Yu, killing him instantly. At the end of the movie, the Emperor thanks Mulan for saving China and gives him a bunch of gifts. Mulan then goes home where Li Shang shows up and is invited for dinner. Also, all the ancestors thank and praise Mushu for his heroism.
I think Mulan was very progressive for its time in many ways. Firstly, we have a female protagonist who not only does not need saving but saves everyone else. She’s strong mentally and physically, just a total badass, but also loving and caring because you can indeed be all of these things at once. Secondly, Mulan is Chinese and before the movie was released, there weren’t too many non-white Disney protagonists and if I’m correct, no protagonists of Asian descent except for Aladdin who is probably from Iraq. The movie has its problems, for example, the racist depiction of Huns but in general, the makers of the movie did a lot of research and got many things right regarding Chinese culture. Xiran Jay Zhao has a whole YouTube video on the cultural accuracy of Mulan, you should check it out for more information on the topic.
Mulan is one of my favourite Disney movies and generally it’s just a joy to watch. The action is exciting, the songs great and there’s also some nice humour thrown in. This is a great pick for a family movie night or just to watch by yourself.