Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3/4
Disney Magic!
MovieAddict - wrote on 12/29/2012
"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all."
'Mulan' is set in medieval China. The Huns are invading, and by order of the Emperor one man from every household must serve in the army. In order to save her ailing father the trouble of fighting in another war, Mulan disguises herself as a boy and answers the call to arms to save her family's name. She is aided in her adventures by a comical dragon named Mushu, a lucky (or is it unlucky?) cricket, and three wise-cracking compatriots at arms.
I found it to be a beautiful movie that highlights a culture that has endured long because of its simplicity and deep values. The themes of honor and the search for one's destiny are very well explored through the adventures of the heroine Mulan. I loved the …
Rating of
2.5/4
Mulan review
Daniel Corleone - wrote on 12/15/2012
Tried viewing this since it was on cable. It's one of the popular films during its era so this critic checked it out. Animation was out dated and pace a bit sluggish for an animated film. Score was majestic as each scene is backed-up by the gorgeous soundtrack. Action sequences were suspenseful and creativity was present. Voice artists were convincing and had some cleverly written moments. Nothing new or groundbreaking for its genre, which is definitely understandable compared to today's technology in creating animated pictures. Intent was good despite some irritating quips from the background characters, namely Eddie Murphy who would be effective in Shrek though. Mulan is a nice animated feature enjoyed by kids, not entirely for adults.
Rating of
3.5/4
Formulaic, But Immensely Entertaining
JLFM - wrote on 09/18/2012
One could make a compelling argument that Mulan is basically no different than any other Disney princess film. And in a way, this is true. All the basic cliches are here: Outcast wanting to prove herself, supporting cast there for comic relief, and obviously the romantic element. To be honest, there's little about Mulan that hasn't already been covered by other Disney films. But here's the catch: The formula works. And that's why; despite it's lack of originality, Mulan not only succeeds, but flourishes.
Mulan, a young Chinese girl is determined to bring honor to her family, and prevent her father from going to war by going in his place, masquerading as a man. A tiny dragon named Mushu and a "lucky" cricket tag along to aid Mulan on her quest.
The romance element is (perhaps for …
Rating of
2.5/4
Watch Her Fight
Unknown - wrote on 11/07/2011
'Mulan' has a commendable premise. I just don't think the main character's arc is realized. The heroine is made to be strong and resilient, but after her initial training she doesn't further herself. From that point on she is essentially the formidable hero who singlehandedly wins all the battles and defeats a bland villain, who's only purpose is to look scary. He literally never speaks. There's never any importance issued to the war. There's not much to invest in because of all of this. The humor is predictable and the supporting characters are a notch above stock traits. Eddie Murphy adds little here, despite his best efforts. It's obvious he was cast because of Robin Williams' success as the Genie in 'Aladdin'. Aside from the somewhat lackluster story and characters, the rest …
Rating of
2.5/4
A positive role model for girls
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/02/2008
Based on the Chinese legend, "Mulan" is a young woman in ancient Imperial China. She's the rough-around-the-edges daughter of a respected military veteran, and is not comfortable with being the way society expects her to act.
With little warning, the Huns, lead by the ruthless "Shan Yu" (voiced by Miguel Ferrer), attack China. The "Emporer" (voiced by Pat Morita) orders that one male from each family must serve in the Imperial army to defend the country. As the only male in the family, "Mulan's" father (voiced by Freda Foh Shen) must serve, but he uses a cane due to an injury sustained in a previous war, so he is not physically up to being able to fight. The night he gets his orders, he and "Mulan" have an argument, and she later cuts her hair with her father's sword and ties it up. …
Rating of
2.5/4
Review - Mulan (1998)
Delorted - wrote on 12/10/2007
When Mulan (Ming-Na, Lea Salonga singing) realized her father Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh) would be going off to war, she decided to take his place, dressed as a man. Now she and her guardian spirit Mushu (Eddie Murphy) must defeat the Hun army in “Mulan.”
Ah, Mulan, the one bad 90’s Disney movie. They can’t all be gems, they say, and this one is the one the weak link. It’s not absolutely horrible though. There are some sequences that are worth watching the movie for, but all its flaws are worth noting.
The writing, specifically dialogue, is a major flaw. The story is really good, but the script seems rushed. Either that or it was just written by poor writers. Still, it’s not as bad as some more recent Disney films.
Music is another poor quality. The songs are just as poorly …
Rating of
3/4
Another hit for Disney
TheWolf - wrote on 08/03/2007
Mulan is a young girl in ancient China. When the Huns start attacking the country, the Emperor orders one member of every family to join the Chinese Army and defend the country. The one member must be a man, but in Mulan's family, the only male is her injured father. Not wanting to allow her father to die, Mulan dresses like a man, and escapes into the night to join the war. To protect her, the ancient elders of her family ask the great Stone Dragon to watch over her. Unfortunately, the great Stone Dragon is destroyed by the little tiny dragon Mushu (Eddie Murphy). So with Mushu and a small cricket by her side, Mulan heads off to help destroy the Huns.
I think we can all guess what happens. Mulan, although a woman, manages to save the day. The plot line isn't really a surprise when …
