This movie is action-packed yet filled with peaceful landscapes, rolling hills, and colorful skies, not to mention a story which focuses on love, loyalty and betrayal. The animation is terrific too.
There has been a contention between the Northern Grassland and the Central Plains, and Mulan is on a mission to assassinate the prince of her enemy, not realizing that, apparently, the prince is quite young. When she meets him for the first time, Mulan’s response is: “A little kid? You’re the one I’m supposed to kill?” “You’re an assassin?!” he asks incredulously. “I’m too young to die,” he says, adding some dashes of humor to this serious moment.
When she asks how he wants to die, he asks for mercy on himself and to think of his family. He also compliments her kung fu abilities, calling her, “Master Shifu.” He wants her to become his teacher. “Not happening,” she replies.
Eventually, she is forced to flee, pursued by the prince’s older brother who catches up to her. They spar in a frenzied sequence in which Mulan kicks him off his horse. She refers to him as “Stable Boy,” but the audience will learn that there is more to him than meets the eye.
The movie is pleasantly balanced between the raucous action sequences and the characters battling scary giant scorpions, to slower-paced sequences of conversations and a focus on the beauty of the Asian lands.
In fact, in one of the scenes involving the scorpions, Mulan helps the injured Stable boy by sucking out the poison from his wound, and she bandages his arm. But they will still have to deal with a large bird of prey and other fighters. In fact, in one scene Stable Boy contends with two fighters at the same time when he and Mulan stop at an eatery for a bite. And soon Mulan will have to take on a fighter herself when she faces a young woman named Lone Wolf, who has exceptional skills.
The plot thickens as Stable Boy is obviously attracted to Mulan, but he must return to the prince, just as she returns to her army. When Stable Boy is told by a solider that the solider wants the “assassin” (Mulan) to suffer, he replies, “I don’t think that’s necessary.” It seems that he believes the two opposing sides are closer than originally thought. Can a peaceful resolution occur?
Stable Boy gives Mulan a beautiful dress as a gift, and in one nice sequence she looks at her reflection in the water. The dress is beautiful and adds a sweet moment to an action-packed movie. Mulan’s toughness as well as her beauty are illustrated in the movie. There were those who thought she was a boy because she dressed that way to fool members of the army. She admits her father never had a son and she wanted to prove that girls were just as good as boys. This movie showcases warriors and what makes them tick.
In one sequence it appears that a peaceful resolution has come between the divided countries, and several toasts are offered up in honor of this alliance. But there is one devious character that wants to exploit the apparent peaceful resolution. Treachery appears to be afoot!
One of the nice themes of the movie is that people and attitudes can change, as illustrated by two former enemies, who band together to attempt to defeat a traitor. Rest assured the audience will get a happy ending and the song that is played during the credits is beautiful.
Content Analysis: There is no overt Christian theme in the film, although loyalty and fighting for honor are relevant themes in the movie as well as the importance of loving someone. There is a scene in which several toasts are given for the end of a war, and it’s stated a character is drunk. Having a conversation with kids about the blessings of freedom is something that could happen from various examples in the movie. There is a bit of name calling such as “gutless” and “liar,” but only a few times.
Think About It: Discussions could include the topic of countries and people fighting and how that impacts their relationships. Another topic of discussion is the importance of making a stand for one’s beliefs. A comment is made by a character about “punishing evil” and this could lead to a discussion about our court systems and prison and what punishing evil truly means.
The Dove Take: This movie has been rated G, and it has earned our Dove Seal for All Ages, although we want to give a caution to parents that it might not be ideal for the very young to watch, due to the fighting and fleeting moments of violence. Parents should consult our content listings to make an informed decision. The wonderful animation and themes of loyalty and love are to be commended. It’s a movie for those who are warriors in their spirit!
