Musical, adventure, drama, comedy. Do you remember, dear viewers, that in ancient times, when mammoths still walked the earth, Disney studio was associated with the words "quality", "humor" and "great pastime for the whole family", where viewers of all ages will find for themselves what something close to his heart? Yes, my dear old men, there was a time! This is now Disney mired in such a brown substance with its subpoena and openly careless attitude to business that it earned me the nickname "Evil Corporation". But let's not talk about the sad, and therefore - let us remember today one of the well-deserved masterpieces of my childhood, which I can revisit an infinite number of times - and again have pleasure, as in the very first. I don't remember the circumstances of the first viewing, but it was definitely in childhood. And here is my brief opinion - Honored Masterpiece of the Corporation of Evil. In this review we will consider the expressive advantages of this cartoon, because, firstly, I don't want to talk about the shortcomings here, and secondly, they are insignificant here, and the word "absolutely" does not affect the general perception. Now, let your humble servant dwell on the merits in more detail.
So, here they are:
1. Told Story - this musical, intertwined with several genres, tells the story of a brave girl Mulan - a character from a Chinese legend (about the reality and fiction of which is still debated), who went to war instead of her elderly father. And everything would be fine, but if the deception is revealed, then death and shame for the whole family awaits her. Of course, the story is retold with a Disney touch of talking animals and is filled with songs and humor. I also note that Mulan is shown as a strong and courageous girl who took such a step to save her father. At the same time, she remained a wonderful girl, very emotional. I fell in love with this heroine, and empathized with her throughout the cartoon, absolutely in any situation. A strong heroine who is loved by boys and who has been admired by a girl for more than one generation. And do not care, as it was in the legend, because it is very similar to the truth.
2. Animation - I definitely indicate this item in cartoons with classic 2D animation, since 3D is already frankly enough, not to say even worse. Characters, environments, backdrops - everything looks amazingly beautiful and does not age. I assure you, and in a hundred years, this animation will delight a new generation of viewers and bewitch with its beauty.
3. Chinese entourage - since the legend of Mulan is Chinese, the creators tried to immerse the audience in this era, applying a minimum of details, but strengthening the emphasis on being of that time (strictly patriarchal). And they succeeded. I literally ended up in Ancient China, threatened by nomadic tribes from the north. Clothes, design, music - all this perfectly conveyed the entourage.
4. Songs - I estimate them according to the Russian version, because I did not watch the cartoon in the original. But I know that the Corporation of Evil is very vigilant about the localization of its products in different countries, and knowing the experience of the Russian branch, you can not worry about the quality, because the translation is not verbal, but it perfectly fits the motive and meaning of the songs. The songs themselves turned out to be strong and emotional, and even touching, funny, and so on. Plus, the dubbing actors obviously tried, and in their voices you can hear the whole gamut of feelings that a person is capable of. Bravo!
5. Images - fear of the enemy, the ominous image of a strong enemy, the monstrous consequences of a bloody battle and much more - the creators of the cartoon managed, in the absence of blood or scenes of a cruel slaughter (after all, a cartoon for family viewing), to convey all this through the images, actions of the characters. Using a minimum of details, the creators were able to demonstrate and make us feel emotions, including fear for China and the heroes.
6. Humor - Evil Corp would not be Evil Corp if there was no humor in their cartoons. And he is here, there is a lot of him, and he is amazing. In some moments you experience a real "Spanish shame" for the heroes doing such that at least stand still fall. The lion's share of humor is formed here by the dragon Mushu - my favorite. Of course, some jokes were adapted to Russian realities (naturally in dubbing), and this added points to the cartoon from the viewer in the CIS and the former USSR.
7. Characters - each is worked out and interesting, both first and second plan, from a soldier to the Emperor himself. But Mushu takes a separate place. For without him it would be definitely boring, I assure you. Mushu is a cartoonish loser-merry fellow who hooks the audience from the very first appearance in the frame and does not let go until the very final credits.
A little about the main characters:
1. Fa Mulan is an ordinary girl who, in a difficult time for the country and family, committed a daring and deadly act - disguised as a man and went to war. An awkward, daring, strong and courageous girl. A real warrior maiden. Who did not become a radical feminist, but remained a woman capable of feelings and excessive emotionality. She will be admired by both boys and girls. A worthy image of a strong girl who evokes sympathy from start to finish.
2. Mushu - a dragon, the keeper of the family, who went to help Mulan in order to help her cope with an impossible task. A treasure trove of humor and a source of endless laughter. The classic loser who gets the chance to make something memorable and benefit. In the original, he is voiced by Eddie Murphy himself, but in Russian dubbing he speaks in the voice of Valery Kukharyoshin, whose voice will always remain with me.
3. Li Shang is the commander of the recruits, in whose ranks Mulan has arrived. I must make from yesterday's peasants a combat-ready army, which must defeat the invaders who attacked China. He shows himself as a skillful mentor and a courageous commander who knows how to make decisions in difficult situations. Well, the romance has not gone anywhere. It looks appropriate and evokes emotion and joy.
There are still many heroes that deserve mention, but if I list them all, I will ruin the viewing for those unfortunate people who have not yet watched this wonderful cartoon.
Of course, there are some comments, but they, I repeat, are insignificant and do not affect the overall impression. Let's call them small shoals that are inevitable when working on an animated film.
This masterpiece has a sequel to "Mulan 2", but it is frankly weak, and keeps only on Mushu's humor, but even it is better than that squalor called "Mulan" 2020, which I don't even want to talk about, otherwise the pressure will jump up and you will have to drink funny pills ... Therefore, let's imagine that the story of the brave warrior Mulan ended in this cartoon with a predictable and well-deserved ending.
As a result, we have a real masterpiece of the Corporation of Evil about the brave girl Mulan, with an excellent script, great surroundings, great humor, catchy characters, great songs and stunning animation.
My rating is 10 out of 10 and my recommendation for viewing!
Review of Mulan
