Mulan (1998)

Director: Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook
Stars: Wen Ming-Na, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong
Runtime: 88 minutes

Synopsis: To save her father from death in the army, a young maiden secretly goes in his place and becomes one of China's greatest heroines in the process.

Animation: 9/10

Performances: 7/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Editing: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Verdict: I'm not entirely sure why Mulan is considered a Disney Princess. To my knowledge, she doesn't have any royal lineage and, spoiler alert, does not end up marrying a prince as many others did before her. She's just the daughter of a man whose military duty sounds like a death trap considering his age and medical condition, and a warrior who gave up everything to save her father from certain death. And that's what makes her one of my favorite Disney characters ever.

Before the live-action remake potentially ruins my memory of her, I decided to rewatch the animated classic one last time. And I can confirm that it's as good as I remember it to be. I'd even go as far as to say that it is one of my favorite projects to come out of the Disney Animations Studios, and that is despite the annoying presence of Mushu, voiced by Eddie Murphy. He makes a fine sidekick that also serves as comic relief, but the humor he brings is clearly aimed at a younger audience. As a kid, I used to love him but his contribution to the story is not one that has aged very well with me.

Thankfully, he's only a small distraction of what the narrative is truly about. Set in Ancient China and based on a real myth, the character of Mulan is not only a badass soldier with a heart of gold but also an inspiration to children and adults alike. By breaking the gender barriers set by very oppressive traditional values, she endangered her family's honor and her own life at the same time. She had to assume a male identity to blend in with other soldiers and slowly started to truly find her place in the world, something she had been struggling with before joining the battalion. This aspect of the adventure adds the themes of sexuality and gender identity, highlighted for instance by the songs "Reflection" and "I'll Make a Man Out Of You", to those of bravery and courage, making it one of Disney's catalog more mature and layered entries.

"Mulan" is one of the last movies made when the Mouse was still a creative force to be reckoned with and remains to this day an essential watch to all. It's got gorgeous animation, amazing songs, an admirable lead, and, most importantly, a timeless message to bind them all.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10