Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part?
Now I see
That if I were truly to be myself,
I would break my family's heart
Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection
Someone I don't know?
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am, though I've tried
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
The 1998 version of Mulan is one of those movies that ages very well, like a fine wine. Not that I drink wine myself, but it still holds up very well after many years and you find yourself realizing more and more just how good it is, how profound.
As a kid, it's mostly good, clean fun. As an adult, you see the messages for what they are and how well they're delivered.
What I most appreciate about this movie is how the feminism isn't too forced. We see Mulan prove her mettle in a very sexist society, but at the same time, we see there's nothing wrong with dressing up, playing with dolls, wanting to marry, or returning to a quiet life on the farm when all the fighting's done.
While I don't object to her finding romance with Shang, I like how they kept it nice and subtle; all these two really get at the end is a dinner date.
In an odd way, the villain shows incredible respect for his opponent. Shan-Yu doesn't say a single word about Mulan being a woman. His actions tell her loud and clear, "I'll come after you and kill you like all the rest." It's terrifying, yet awesome.
Then there's the delicious irony of how the most feared war lord in China, who took out the entire Imperial Army without breaking a sweat, is bested by a simple farm girl who has yet to see her twentieth birthday. Go figure.
Of course, it's the relationship between Mulan and her father that truly carries this story. It's a thing of beauty and we can fully understand Mulan's reason for taking his place in the army, even though it's considered a crime by their society's standards. She was deceptive, but she also demonstrated extraordinary filial piety, which was a pretty big deal in ancient China. I, for one, still get pleasant chills at that "Short Hair" sequence, where Mulan makes the official transition from delicate maiden to strapping warrior.
And I dare anyone not to get at least one tear in their eye at those iconic words, "The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter."
Needless to say, you'll find bits and pieces of this character and this movie in my own work.
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