Disney's Greatest Heroine

Rating: 8/10 (12 August 2017)

I've considered Mulan (and Tarzan) to be the last great animated Disney features to be produced.
A lot of comparison has been made between Mulan and Pocahontas in that most fans and critics consider Mulan to be a better film. While I do think Pocahontas is a great film, I do agree with that sentiment. Both films feature a strong and admirable heroine that break the mold of what their respective societies expect them to adhere to. Mulan is more successful in portraying the theme of breaking the gender roles. And Disney didn't whitewash the historical realities of how women were treated in Ancient China, which conveyed the theme so much stronger. Another aspect that makes Mulan a much more enjoyable film are the songs. Virtually every song (even the deleted songs) are very catchy and memorable.
The supporting characters are also very memorable. Eddie Murphy seems like a curious choice for Mushu, but it works so well. Chein Po, Ling, and Yao bring comic relief to the trials of basic training and also to the dramatic war scenes. Disney had gone back to the appealing cartoony designs, reminiscent of their golden age animated features, at the start of the renaissance. However, like their films of the 1950's, they moved toward realistic designs for the human characters starting with Pocahontas. I believe this was a factor as to why Pocahontas was not as successful as say Beauty and the Beast or Aladdin, because the drawing style lacked that Disney charm. In Mulan, only the comic relief characters (i.e Chein Po, Ling, and Yao) are drawn with that exaggerated cartoony look.
Speaking of gender roles, this is a Disney film, billed as a "Princess" film in later years, that can be enjoyed by both genders. In theory girls can appreciate the theme of hardship and pressure she goes through to fit the criteria of becoming an ideal woman and bride, while boys can enjoy the thrilling war scenes that are so brilliantly executed. But, both boys and girls alike can admire Mulan for her feat of twice taking down an entire army (almost single handed) that threatens her country.