Mulan the Movie
Mrs. BrownWomen’s Studies 1
14 December 2012
Film Critique: Mulan One of the most inspirational movies Disney has created was Mulan. Mulan is a source of inspiration for little girls all throughout the world. This fairytale was based on the princess saving the prince, which is a very feminist message and is contrary to the common theme of a damsel in distress being saved by a knight in shining armor. The main character of the story is Mulan, after whom the movie is named. Mulan is the only child in an honored family in China. When the Huns invade China, Mulan’s old father has to go fight, but he’s too old to withstand an actual encounter with the enemies. After Mulan spills tea on a matchmaker and the matchmaker decides that Mulan isn’t fit to get married, Mulan decides to prove herself to everyone and go fight with her father. Girls aren’t supposed to fight, so Mulan has to dress up as a man to become part of the army. Before she leaves, Mulan prays to her ancestors to protect her and give her luck. After waking up, her ancestors decide to send her a little dragon to help her. The dragon’s name is Mushu. After Mushu and Mulan join the army, they travel with the army until eventually Mulan has to reveal that she is a woman in order to go through with a plan and save China.
Society has an idea that women are supposed to be weak and quiet and men are supposed to be loud and strong, but in this movie it is Mulan who is strong and smart and stands out to save her country. This movie undoes the normal stereotype of women being inferior to men, because it is the female that saves the day. The message the filmmakers convey, and the main point and message of the story, is one of equality and feminine empowerment. It is saying that women are stronger and smarter than men, and that they are the ones that will save the day in the end, even if society says they’re useless like the matchmaker said to Mulan. Because this story is so classic and old, for years
14 December 2012
Film Critique: Mulan One of the most inspirational movies Disney has created was Mulan. Mulan is a source of inspiration for little girls all throughout the world. This fairytale was based on the princess saving the prince, which is a very feminist message and is contrary to the common theme of a damsel in distress being saved by a knight in shining armor. The main character of the story is Mulan, after whom the movie is named. Mulan is the only child in an honored family in China. When the Huns invade China, Mulan’s old father has to go fight, but he’s too old to withstand an actual encounter with the enemies. After Mulan spills tea on a matchmaker and the matchmaker decides that Mulan isn’t fit to get married, Mulan decides to prove herself to everyone and go fight with her father. Girls aren’t supposed to fight, so Mulan has to dress up as a man to become part of the army. Before she leaves, Mulan prays to her ancestors to protect her and give her luck. After waking up, her ancestors decide to send her a little dragon to help her. The dragon’s name is Mushu. After Mushu and Mulan join the army, they travel with the army until eventually Mulan has to reveal that she is a woman in order to go through with a plan and save China.
Society has an idea that women are supposed to be weak and quiet and men are supposed to be loud and strong, but in this movie it is Mulan who is strong and smart and stands out to save her country. This movie undoes the normal stereotype of women being inferior to men, because it is the female that saves the day. The message the filmmakers convey, and the main point and message of the story, is one of equality and feminine empowerment. It is saying that women are stronger and smarter than men, and that they are the ones that will save the day in the end, even if society says they’re useless like the matchmaker said to Mulan. Because this story is so classic and old, for years