Mulan (1998) voices Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, B.D. Wong, Miguel Ferrer directed by Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook Movie Review

Mulan (1998)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Mulan (1998) voices Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, B.D. Wong

She's the Man

Unlike other girls her age Mulan is a bit of a free spirit, bending rules and not keeping with tradition. She also causes issues when the Hun invades China and it is decreed that from each family a man must serve in the Emperor's army as she knows her aging father is in ill health and will die for the sake of honour if he goes. So instead Mulan cuts her hair and with his sword she runs away to enlist taking with her a lucky cricket and a wise cracking miniature dragon. Keeping her sex a secret she looks to impress others in the army especially her commander who she falls for.

I think I may have missed something, I had better watch "Mulan" again. Done it, I've watched "Mulan" again and nope I still guess I missed something but I am not watching it a third time. Don't worry I haven't gone dollaly its just I don't see what is that special about "Mulan", yes it is entertaining and offers something for everyone with a mix which has simple fun for young children, comedy for teens and some classic Disney elements for grown ups but I've seen it all before and seen some of it used again since with Eddie Murphy trading from a dragon to a donkey.

Everything about "Mulan" is familiar from the classic pretence of a girl masquerading as a man and giving us some early girl power to Eddie Murphy doing what Robin Williams did before him voicing a comedy sidekick and as I mentioned what he did to an even greater extent 3 years later in "Shrek" as donkey. Even the musical elements are all very familiar with that stage show sound which is pleasant but ultimately very familiar as is the quality of the animations which is expectedly good. I suppose what I am saying is that I would have loved for something in "Mulan" to break free from the formula and take us on a different journey but nope it sticks too closely to the formula even if it does give us a story from another culture.

What this all boils down to is that "Mulan" is for me an enjoyable but ordinary Walt Disney animation which like others will appeal to the generation it was made for but feel familiar to those who grew up watching Walt Disney animations.


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