A Very Good Character

Rating: 8/10 (24 June 2015)

I took my kids to this film when it was first released. I had not seen it since. My daughter holds it in high regard. It is quite a nice film. Mulan, the title character, is being groomed to marry, following the various requirements of one in her position. I would be interested to see how Chinese people today would accept or reject her as a character. The empire is being invaded by the Huns and one member of each family must go fight. Since she is an only child, her frail father must again put on his military uniform and go to fight. He can barely walk and it is horrible for Mulan to watch. She cuts her hair, dons the military clothing, and sets out to join the fray. She is accompanied by a dragon that the spirits have given her out of fear for her safety. Unfortunately, he is relatively useless. Played by Eddie Murphy, he is pretty much the same character as Donkey from Shrek. His mouth flaps constantly with no filter. Once she enters the service, she must maintain her boy-ness and perform deeds that make her useful to them. Her successes are often accidental, but she begins to be seen as a force to her fellow warriors. The Huns are enormous and dangerous, and she must eventually face off the with their leader, no easy task. This is all about having no standing in a culture of sexism that has been around for centuries. This would be quite inspiring for young girls.