Mulan is a 1998 animated musical
action-comedy-drama film by the company that owns most of our childhood,
Disney, based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan. The film takes place in China
during the Han dynasty, following Fa Mulan as she strives to bring her family
honour and cross-dresses her way into the army and through a Hun invasion.
Mulan was released during the Disney Renaissance, an era where The Walt Disney Company regained much public and
critical attention and popularity, and for good reason too. The film was
largely well received and grossed over $300 million worldwide. It was the subject
of some criticism, with feminists pointing out that the film mostly "poked
fun at repressive gender roles" and "gives the lie to the bravado of
the entire girl-power movement", which is fair enough.
Watching the film
again after about ten years, I can't help wondering about why exactly I enjoyed
the film as a child, but then again, visually, the entire film is absolutely
beautiful, the animation painting a lovely Oriental picture for those who might
not be terribly familiar with actual Chinese culture (the film was received
quite poorly in China for differing too greatly from the original legend). But
again, ultimately, Western audiences were probably titillated enough by the
experience of being able to watch a cool as hell little lucky cricket team up
with a just as cool horse and a red dragon that materialised from a little
statue and was voiced by Eddie Murphy.
It is absolutely a
must-see for any nineties kids feeling nostalgic.
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