Mulan (1998)
When looking at the complete Disney Princess lineup, no single princess stands out quite as much as Mulan. Way before the modern feminist movement pushing for strong female roles which pushed films like Moana in 2016, back in 1998 Disney embraced this idea breaking their cycle of traditional princess films to give Mulan. When China is threatened by the evil Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer) and his Hun army, The Emperor of China (Pat Morita) orders that every family must give up one man to fight in the Chinese army. Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) can't stand to see her elderly father Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh) be sent basically to his death, decides to sneak out and pose as a man to fight in the army instead.
Obviously one of the most striking parts of Mulan is this story of empowerment with the film not only breaking gender stereotypes with the possible consequence of judgment from those around her but also death. Where other princesses might have taken risks and achieved big things, this felt like a bold move from Disney that not only helped make Mulan stand out at the time but also helped it age incredibly well. Not only does the film directly criticize gender roles but it also tackles toxic masculinity and the concept of strength. These elements come together to create one of the most socially aware and vocal Disney films of all time. Sadly, where Mulan deserves major praise for this element of its story, it wouldn't be fair to ignore the more problematic sides of the film which lies in its representation of Chinese culture specifically with religious beliefs. Where nothing feels purposefully malicious and the film does use an impressively diverse cast (something films struggle with even 20 years later), the translation of religious beliefs into comedic relief can come across as insensitive and disappointing. Where this might not be enough to ruin the film, it is important to note and recognize this at the very least.
Being a Disney film, it should come as no shock that Mulan is gorgeously made. The animation is smooth and colorful and the voice acting really impresses. Ming-Na Wen gives a layered and genuine performance as Mulan that both highlights the strengths and vulnerability of the character that works shocking well alongside Eddie Murphy's more over the top comedic performance as Mushu. As a musical, Mulan also works quite well with not only the songs being memorable but their placements in the film feeling natural and well structured. The only thing a bit disappointing about Mulan from a technical aspect is some of the pacing. Especially towards the end of the film when the action picks up, it starts to feel like Mulan is rushing and the actual payoff is just too short considering all the build to the fight. Especially considering the ending sequence is a bit too long, the film could have managed its time better and created a more satisfying conclusion.
Where Mulan still stands out compared to the other Disney movies of the time, it also isn't quite a masterpiece. There are clear areas where Mulan could be improved on which luckily makes it a great candidate for a live-action remake like Disney is putting out later this year. Instead of just making the same film again, Disney actually seems like they are making changes and trying to make an improved and different take on the subject matter that is absolutely the right approach to take. No matter the result of the live-action remake, the original animated Mulan is a solid effort and remains one of the most relevant films in Disney history.
Where Mulan still stands out compared to the other Disney movies of the time, it also isn't quite a masterpiece. There are clear areas where Mulan could be improved on which luckily makes it a great candidate for a live-action remake like Disney is putting out later this year. Instead of just making the same film again, Disney actually seems like they are making changes and trying to make an improved and different take on the subject matter that is absolutely the right approach to take. No matter the result of the live-action remake, the original animated Mulan is a solid effort and remains one of the most relevant films in Disney history.