Amazon.com: Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The story source is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.
The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Binding: DVD Brand: BUENA VISTA HOME VIDEO EAN: 9780788829604 Format: Anamorphic, Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC ISBN: 0788829602 Label: Walt Disney Home Entertainment Languages:EnglishOriginal LanguageDolby Digital 5.1 Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment MPN: 02296300 Number Of Items: 2 Publisher: Walt Disney Home Entertainment Region Code: 1 Release Date: October 26, 2004 Running Time: 88 minutes Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment Theatrical Release Date: 1998
Customer Reviews
Was all that humor necessary?
Disney could have done a great job with this adaptation of a Chinese folk tale. But unfortunately, they just had to ruin it with some comedy. Now, I'm not saying that this automatically makes the film a complete failure. The animation is top-notch, with some beautiful scenery and a powerful action sequence. The drama really adds to the tension in some scenes. The music from Jerry Goldsmith is also a treat. But what really makes this a mediocre Disney film is the unnecessary comedy. Disney could have ... Read More