Three cheers for Mulan!

Rating: Null/10 (20 February 1999)

Like most of us have recognized, Disney's animated features became downhill after their remarkable feature, The Lion King. I was pretty disappointed with movies like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Hercules, which missed the usual joy I got out of animated features from Disney. Mulan is definitely, in my opinion, the best movie since The Lion King. What does Mulan have that all the previous movies don't? For starters, Mulan lacks the Barbie figure from Pocahontas and helpless princess personality from Ariel and Jasmine. Mulan is one tough chick. In the beginning of the movie, we find that Mulan is having trouble becoming a respected bride in order to bring her family honor. It is then that Mulan takes her father's place in the army, going under the name of "Ping," clad in armor with her horse, Khan. In this movie, the heroine's goal is not to win love from a man, but to prove her strength and respect. Along with the movie's breath-taking action, beautiful animation, Chinese scenery, and meaningful plotline, it includes a hilarious and unforgettable cast of characters. There's, of course, Mulan (Ming-na Wen), Mushu (Eddie Murphy), Grandmother Fa (June Foray), Captain Shang (B.D. Wong), Crickee, and Shan-Yu (Miguel Ferrer). And I couldn't possibly leave out Mulan's ragtag, comical soldier friends, Yao (Harvey Fiersten), Ling (Gedde Watanabe), and Chien-Po (Jerry Tondo), who I just can't get enough of every time I watch Mulan. Congratulations to Disney with this remarkable feauture! Three cheers for Mulan!