Friday, 8 March 2024

Mulan Review

 

My Review of Mulan.
Mulan is one of my favorite Disney films. In my opinion, Mulan is the best Disney Princess because she saved all of China and is the only Disney Princess with the high death count. 

I know crazy right.

Mulan is the best Disney Princess in my opinion, and she's an inspiring character to all girls and even boys. As a boy, I looked up to her and the scenes of her struggling in the army and not giving up because she used her wits. She becomes a skilled soldier through hard work and overcoming odds, and most of all doesn't give up even if she feels lost because she will always do the right thing. I love characters like that who inspire us not to give up. 
Mulan is a movie about a girl named Mulan, voiced by Ming-Na Wen, who takes her father's place in the imperial army against the Huns. The film dives into Mulan's wondering who she is and her desire to bring honor to her family. In the opening, she's trying to get approved by the matchmaker. Still, she messes it up with her father, mother, and grandma, one of the coolest characters in the film. Still love her and support her. When news of the Huns invading China came out, every man from each family joined the Imperial Army. Her father is too ill to fight, and she doesn't want him to go to war. They have a bad argument, and she decides to steal her father's sword and armor and take his place in the army. 
One of the coolest moments in the film is when she decides to take her father's place. Just the silence in that scene and the music playing it's the pic scene. You could hear the music when you see this scene.

Now, one of the best characters in the film is Mushu, who is voiced by Eddie Murphy. He's one of the funniest characters in the movie, and he's a dragon who wants to be Mulan's family guardian again. Mushu was one of the best characters in this film. He's better in this than he was in the second film. I also found it funny when he teaches Mulan how to be a man and his relationship with the cricket. Mushu is one of the best characters because he wants to be a guardian again and admits to Mulan. She did it to save her father, and he only helped himself because her ancestors don't like him. Ultimately, he helps Mulan save China and becomes a Guardian again. 
I still wonder what was the story with that one ancestor who lost his head because of him.

Li Shang is another great character in the film. He's Mulan love interest and captain of his own, given to him by his father, General Li. He wants to create the best army in China and make his father proud, too. Shang is one of the coolest characters in this film, and I love the song Make a Man Out of You. That song is great to work out. Shang is also skilled warrior and he is a great captain to his men.

It's interesting how fans consider Shang the first Bisexual Disney Prince because if you rewatch the film. He's clearly in love with Mulan, but there are signs he likes Ping, her male disguise, too. Which has led people to think Li Shang might be bisexual. To be fair, it does make sense, and there are some signs he's bisexual. That's why people were pissed he was cut from the live-action remake.

Hardwork, Determination, and Not Giving up can help you accomplish impossible goals.
At first he kicked Mulan out and she got the arrow and he realize he was wrong about her.

One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when he learns his father is dead, and it's a dark scene for a Disney film. The characters have a musical number of A Girl Worth Fighting For, which stops midway as they see the destroyed village. 
This scene shocked many viewers who saw this movie for the first time. They were all dancing and singing, but they stopped halfway through when they saw this burned village.

This is a sad but powerful scene because it shows how awful war is.
Shang mourns his father, and Mulan mourns for him. She places the doll belonging to a little girl before the sword. It's an emotional scene and shows how awful war can be and how many innocent lives can be lost. When Mulan finds that doll, it shows she's a girl worth fighting for. She was only a child, and her life was taken too soon. Mulan's reaction to the doll says it all.
Still we all know this film has a happy ending.

I love Yao, Ling, and Chien Po, voiced by Harvey Firestien, Gedde Watanabe, and Jerry Tondo. These three are some of the best characters in the film. They are funny and heroic, even when they are in drag they are bad ass.
These three had me laughing, and I liked how Mulan was revealed as a woman they tried to save her. It shows that even though they are shocked, they don't care if she's a woman because she saved their lives and defeated the Hun Army. 

The film's main villain is Shun Yu, voiced by the late Miguel Ferrer, and we need to find out about Shaun Yu's true motives for conquering China. Although he does mention The Great Wall was a challenge against his strength, he's still a scary villain. In one scene, he says, "How many men does it take to deliver a message?" and his archer replies. "One." Scene goes black. That is a dark scene for a kids film. It shows how evil this guy is, and I loved how Mulan defeated him in the end, blasting him with fireworks. It's also interesting when Shun Yu learns Mulan took away his victory. He doesn't say a woman. Instead, Shun Yu says the soldier from the mountain. The reason for that during the reign of Genghis Khan, he gave women better rights and allowed them to fight in the army. Just an interesting fact about Khan and another fun fact almost half of the world's people are descendants of Genghis Khan as he had many children. Another fun fact.
Another character many people can't stand is Chi-Fu, voiced by James Hong. I love James Hong. He is so funny. His character is annoying, but I get some laughs from this character because he's a prick and the only the girl who love him is his mother. 

The Emperor is a interesting character, played by the late Pat Morita. 
That line is so epic. 
The cast in this film all did a great job voicing their characters, and the songs are very memorable, like Reflection, which is a great song, Make a Man out of You, and A Girl Worth Fighting For. These songs still hold up years later. 
The film also had great animation and action; its ending is epic and a feel-good movie. You would expect Mulan and Shang to kiss at the end of the film, but they don't. They have dinner, and Mushu becomes a guardian again. 
It's more realistic have a romance between the two. Dinner with her and family and see where it goes from there.

I give this film an 8 out of 10. It's a great film, and the character of Mulan is an inspiring character to everyone. She shows true courage, not giving up, doing the right thing, and being there for your friends and family. 
Mulan is such a great childhood film and still holds up years later. It's a shame the remake failed so severely. They also did the characters dirty, getting rid of Shang and Mushu. What were they thinking? 
Mulan is the best Disney Princesses and one of my favourite films from childhood. It still holds up like I wrote before.

Happy International Women's Day to all the great women I know.
Like my mom, sisters, friends, cousins, aunts, grandmas, and most of all, my girlfriend. 
Thank you to all the great women out there who inspire all of us.

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