I know this sounds silly, but Mulan is actually my all-time favorite movie. Trust me, I am a perfectly intelligent young woman who likes to read and is going to college, but there's just something about Mulan that I have always loved. It suffered a lot in release because it was lost in an avalanche of new CGI movies like A Bug's Life. But Mulan's story is every bit as good as those movies, even if you find the animation less impressive.
The strengths of the movie for me are not the songs (which are very weak compared to earlier Disney), nor the animation (which is charming with a few Chinese flourishes) or any other technical aspect of the movie production. What makes this moving great is that it has a truly endearing, likable main character. While in most Disney movies the silly sidekicks or cute animals steal the show, in this movie Mulan is both funny and brave, making her a truly human character that I rooted for whole-heartedly.
I am also a crazy feminist and for me this movie is the ultimate girl-power movie. Who would of thought that could ever be said of a Disney movie? But really, Mulan, as a Chinese tomboy who never quite feels that she fits in in her society, is an excellent picture of a woman finally proving to the world that she can do everything a man can do. After watching the movie (which I have done over 15 times) I always feel really inspired and motivated! Seriously! The movie without a doubt has lots of production problems (bad songs, clichéd side-characters, mediocre villain), but I still highly, highly recommend because fundamentally the characters are likable and believable and the plot is well constructed. Oh and I think it's pretty damn funny. Mushu always makes me laugh, and watching Mulan try to spit is still the funniest thing I've ever seen in a movie.
If you want the classic singing, dancing fairy tale-style Disney movies a la The Little Mermaid, this is not quite what you're looking for. Mulan is more character driven and less lavishly made. But it absolutely belongs in the upper ranks of Disney, and it's a pity that Disney couldn't have continued to make animated features of this quality.
The strengths of the movie for me are not the songs (which are very weak compared to earlier Disney), nor the animation (which is charming with a few Chinese flourishes) or any other technical aspect of the movie production. What makes this moving great is that it has a truly endearing, likable main character. While in most Disney movies the silly sidekicks or cute animals steal the show, in this movie Mulan is both funny and brave, making her a truly human character that I rooted for whole-heartedly.
I am also a crazy feminist and for me this movie is the ultimate girl-power movie. Who would of thought that could ever be said of a Disney movie? But really, Mulan, as a Chinese tomboy who never quite feels that she fits in in her society, is an excellent picture of a woman finally proving to the world that she can do everything a man can do. After watching the movie (which I have done over 15 times) I always feel really inspired and motivated! Seriously! The movie without a doubt has lots of production problems (bad songs, clichéd side-characters, mediocre villain), but I still highly, highly recommend because fundamentally the characters are likable and believable and the plot is well constructed. Oh and I think it's pretty damn funny. Mushu always makes me laugh, and watching Mulan try to spit is still the funniest thing I've ever seen in a movie.
If you want the classic singing, dancing fairy tale-style Disney movies a la The Little Mermaid, this is not quite what you're looking for. Mulan is more character driven and less lavishly made. But it absolutely belongs in the upper ranks of Disney, and it's a pity that Disney couldn't have continued to make animated features of this quality.