While Mulan isn't one of Disney's best works ever, it is still a fairly good children's movie. It's also one of Disney's last musicals.

We begin with some evil Huns coming over the Great Wall of China. Then we go to a scene with our heroine, Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na), writing something on her arm. I find it interesting that she's a leftie and it's something to watch for. Anyway, the first part of the movie introduces us to her head-strong attitudes. She wants to thinks for herself in the repressive Chinese culture and it doesn't work too well. Basically, I think Disney tries to make Mulan into an American girl fighting for rights.

But the real tale is that Mulan will do anything for her family. After being humiliated by some kind of marriage expert, she goes home and soon thereafter, a jerk from the palace comes along and tells everyone that a man from each family has to serve his country to save the emperor from the invading Huns. Unfortunately, Mulan's father is a cripple from serving in some previous war and wouldn't survive another battle. Thus, Mulan sneaks out with her father's armor and disguised as a man / boy.

It should be noted here that there is a lot of ancestor worship in this movie. When Mulan leaves, the spirits of her ancestors have a conference and decide they want to send a dragon to bring her back before she dishonors them. Unfortunately, they send Mushu (voiced by Eddie Murphy), a tiny lizard-dragon, to awaken the rock dragon and he fails, so Mushu takes it upon himself to help Mulan.

The next 20 or so minutes are filled with her training and adventures in the training camp. She ends up being the inspiration for the other troops to carry on. This is kind of a heart-warming sequence.

Okay, so Mushu wants Mulan to become a war hero and to do that, he has to get her into some action. Why does he want this? Because he was demoted from being a guardian because of his idiocy. Anyway, he and a cricket fake a letter from the general and get Mulan and her comrades sent out.

Eventually Mulan saves the day a couple more times and gets herself found out. But I suggest you watch it to see how Disney goes about promoting 'girl power.'

The Good Stuff:

The Bad Stuff:

Overall, this was a decent film. You can feel pretty safe about letting your little brother watch it, but be prepared to answer your sibling's (or child's) questions about spirits and such, if it were to come up.