One of Disney's finest stories

Rating: 10/10 (11 July 2003)

I saw this for the first time two nights ago, 5 years after its release in theaters. It had my heart strings being tugged, had me giggling, and, most importantly, it moved me. The music was beautiful, particularly the lyrics and music to the song that Mulan sings to herself ("Who Is This Girl I See"?). The lyrics are just as awesome an accomplishment as the melody of the song. The animation on Mulan and the Captain of the Imperial army was very lifelike. I could actually picture what the people might look like in real life. That's a first for me with a Disney animated feature. I was very impressed.
The only possible flaw I saw in this movie, not being an expert in East Asian culture, but knowing a little, is the way Mulan's family behaved when she returned from running away, even though they knew where she'd gone and what she'd done. I think, realistically, an East Asian family, particularly from that era, would not have behaved that way. I could be wrong.