Disney
is back with Mulan, a marginally engaging animated feature that lacks the magic
that has made some of their past films soar. Mulan tells the story of a high-spirited
young woman from Imperial China who, in an attempt to save her father's life,
poses as a young man to take his place in war. For Mulan, keeping this a secret
becomes a difficult task.
Mulan
fares much better than Pocohontas and Hercules, but doesn't match the scope of
Beauty and the Beast and Lion King, the originality or pace of Toy Story and Aladdin,
or sing along charm of The Little Mermaid. It also fails to match the dramatic
depth of Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Mulan
does offer a terrific role model for a hero and great comic relief in the form
of Mushu, a dragon voiced by the energetic Eddie Murphy. The animation is solid,
notably a breathtaking sequence involving a battle in snow covered mountains.
In
the end, Mulan just didn't hold my attention the way I hoped it would. The plot
felt recycled to me. Still, it was worlds better than that movie about that stupid
pregnant lizard that terrorizes New York.
