"An impressive achievement ranking with Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King! -- Roger Ebert
Disney takes it easy on the hype this time, allowing its latest summer animated picture to build its own fan base. It's a canny decision, and the story, based on a Chinese legend, is clever: a young girl cuts her hair, joins the army disguised as a man, and saves China from the Huns. It gives boys lots of exciting (if cross-dressed) action, and lets girls root for an empowering hero.
While the movie sticks to the familiar Disney formula, the cute sidekicks are less intrusive and the songs are not as overbearing as usual; for the most part, it sustains an enjoyable hum and a simple, delicate glow. -- Bruce Diones
This special edition contains both Mulan and the sequel Mulan II.
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
Media Type | Movie |
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Recommended Age | 5 and up |
Actors | Ming-Na, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, Harvey Fierstein |
Director | Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft |
Running Time | 88 minutes |
Studio | Walt Disney Video |
Release Date | Oct 26, 2004 |
Language | English |