Mulan *spoiler alert*

Rating: 10/10 (18 October 2013)

Mulan is a step in a new direction for Disney, providing a thrilling, inspirational tale about a young woman that strays away from the beautiful damsel longing for love that Disney is so famous for. Mulan is set in Han Dynasty China during the invasion of the Hun army led by a barbarian by the name of Shan Yu. In this desperate time for China, a man from every family is drafted to serve in the Imperial Army and defend China against Shan Yu. To protect her family, Mulan disguises herself as a man and takes her father's place, risking her life and the honor of her family. This begins Mulan's adventure as an Imperial soldier and the hardships and perils she will go through in her journey to protect China, all the while protecting her identity. Arriving at the Wu-Shong camp Mulan comes to realize she is not alone in her journey, her ancestors have sent a "guardian" to watch over her in the form of Mushu, a "travel-sized" dragon meant to guide her and protect her from harm. Little does she know, the claimed guardian is actually an ex-guardian of the family, following the unfortunate demise of one of her ancestors. With Mushu by her side she enters the camp and is faced with the challenges of blending in with the other soldiers. With the help of Mushu, she quickly gains many enemies throughout the camp, taking on the name of Ping and earning herself the title of a "complete lunatic". As in all Disney movies, the audience is not disappointed to be introduced to Shang, the handsome young captain and love interest in the story. As "Ping" is slowly gaining status among the soldiers, the Hun army continues to move closer and closer to the Emperor. In a desperate effort when it looks like Mulan will never see battle, Mushu and the 'lucky' cricket, Crick-ee devise a plan that sends the troops rushing to the front-lines. When the army arrives, they find total devastation where the Imperial Army and General of China are found dead in the snow. This begins the start of their fight against the Huns in the Tung Shao pass, complete with fiery arrows, intense explosions, and a wound inflicted by Shan Yu himself. This scene is a vital turning point in the movie and sets the scene for Mulan's reveal as a woman and her final decision that will change the fate of China and will either shame her family forever or make her a hero . The movie incorporates the beauty of China and the opening credits begin as a silk painting, with traditional Chinese style art. The painting transitions into the opening scene of the Great Wall and the Hun invasion. This presents a wonderful introduction to the conflict in the story and gives the audience a preview of what is to come. Throughout the movie there are wonderful landscape shots where the audience can see the beauty of China. However the most powerful scenes include those that feature close-ups. A scene that is incredibly powerful and marks the transition of Ping the lunatic into Ping the soldier is the scene where Mulan retrieves the arrow. This scene is filled with close ups of Mulan's face and her struggle and her ultimate victory. This victory follows the song "I'll make a man out of you" and in the end, she is a man, not in body but in her determination and strength as a soldier. Overall, this movie is thrilling and is a refreshing change from the Disney princess stories that are so famous. Mulan is a movie that inspires young women to be brave, strong of spirit and to be yourself. Mulan makes it a good thing to be different from the rest and show the change that one can have on the world. One of the most powerful lines from the movie comes from Mulan's father when she returns home from war after she presents him with gifts from the empire. He throws down his cane, hugs her and says "The greatest gift and honor, is having you for a daughter".