The best parts of the film were the battle scenes. They’re exceptionally well paced and beautifully animated. It’s interesting to note how openly the film deals with death and destruction in ways few other Disney films manage. The contrast between lighthearted comedy and immediate pain and suffering is extremely prevalent in the film, and Mulan pulls it off perfectly. The humor never overtakes the drama, and the film never gets too serious for its own good. Even when the humor and emotional drama collide back-to-back Mulan does a great job of transitioning the atmosphere to appropriately reflect the mood. Take, for example, the scene where “A Girl Worth Fighting For” plays. That scene is one of the happiest and most light-hearted in the entire film. And what segment follows it? Only the darkest in the entire film, where Mulan and company discover the desolate battlefield where Li Shang’s father was killed. Despite such a collision of emotions it never comes off as jarring. Mulan does a great job of providing humor to lighten the feel of the film all the while maintaining its dramatic side.
After The Rescuers Down Under (which doesn’t really count), Mulan has the weakest soundtrack from the Disney Renaissance. That’s not saying much considering they’re all incredible, but Mulan only has four songs to it, two of which aren’t very good. Reflection is a good song but doesn’t get enough time in the film. I do love its message though, and if it had a larger role in the film I’m sure it would have been my favorite. The last song, I’ll Make a Man Out of You, is my favorite of the film, but only just barely. It’s a fun a song that serves its purpose well as a montage, however I’m afraid it has significantly fallen in my song rankings over the years. It isn’t sung very well and I’ve never been fond of Li Shang. Sorry Gen. The song still easily makes its way into my top 20, but I don’t hold the same love for it as I once did.
That’s actually similar to how I feel about the film as a whole. The film is still among my favorites, but I don’t love it as much as I used to. The animation is great, especially during the action sequences, and the story never gets dull. In fact, the story is one of the better stories within the Disney canon. It has a great arc, filled with great sequences and montages along the way. Mulan is one of my favorites within the canon, and watching the film again made me remember just how much I love her. Controversy be damned. Mulan is totally deserving of the crown she won in SMDCIII. It’s too bad her victory is mired as it is. As it stands many don’t even consider her a champion to begin with, and with her current rep there’s no way she stands a shot at winning a legit crown. Nevertheless she is totally deserving of all the praise she receives, as is the film itself.
Next Up: This films comes before the Disney Renaissance