MULAN STRIKES A MATCH IN AN UNCONVENTIONAL WAY

Disney has done it again, another unnecessary remake. This is especially true for Mulan. The story is near perfect with a powerful soundtrack and beautiful, vibrant animation. Each frame is packed with meaning, from beginning to end. In fact, I consider Mulan to be the best Disney princess film of them all.

Why on Earth would Disney want to tamper with their story by turning this incredible hero into a generic Jedi? That is a study for a time when it no longer costs Disney subscribers an extra $40 to access it. Save yourself the money and watch the original in the meantime.

While every other Disney heroine finds it easy to acclimate to their roles as princess through blood or marriage, Mulan is the one who works the hardest to earn her spot. She embarks on a dangerous journey to find her place in the world. It is riddled with challenges and failures. Society's expectations clash with her instincts; thus, it leads to her crisis of identity.

Her failure with the matchmaker leads to a future with no husband. Meanwhile, her disabled father is ordered to reenlist in the Chinese army. Mulan's family faces a brutal future. Her father, doomed to die, would leave behind three generations of women with no male heir to take his place. Mulan cannot let that happen. She loves her family too deeply. She defies the law, impersonates a man, and takes her father's place in battle.

Mulan is a woman ahead of her time. Her most valuable gift is her ability to think outside the box. Refusing to submit to expectations, she questions the world around her and finds unique solutions to big problems. However, she is stuck in a world that devalues her gift. She is expected to get married and give her family a male heir. She does not excel at it, because it is not her purpose.

How can she affect the cultural change necessary to make this Black Sheep accepted? Make noise. Enough to get the attention of the most powerful man in China. In this, she absolutely excels. Not only is he the most powerful man, but he is also the wisest.

"A single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat." (Emperor)

From the beginning, he knows each one of his subjects has the potential to be the hero he needs to save China from invaders. That man turns out to be a woman, but he recognizes a hero when he sees one. Because of her courage and genius, he teaches the country to value her gift and offers her a place on his counsel. It would take a truly pompous person not to see her value. Thankfully, her Emperor is a wise man. He has the power to change the law and give women more purpose.

Mushu, once a family guardian, is a small red dragon with a propensity for causing disaster in his wake. Accordingly, he loses his position. That doesn't stop him from impersonating a guardian and encouraging Mulan to defy orders. His guidance leads to disaster. His hotheaded attitude makes her immediate enemies, and her apparent cheating nearly costs her the respect of her commanding officer.

Once again, we can see how undeserving he is of a position as a guardian. Fitting, since he is sent by a generation fueled by tradition. Mulan's ancestors don't respect her abilities or understand the importance of progress. Thus, Mushu doesn't give her a chance to prove herself. Instead, he insists that she cheat in every training exercise. The consequence is discharge.

Her only hope to restore her place in the army is to cast aside the advice of her false guardian. She instead relies on her strengths. Only then does she thrive in training. The respect she earns from her accomplishments heals the broken relationships, and she makes friends with her fellow soldiers. Peace is restored in the camp through hard work and confidence.

The timing could not be more perfect, because her match resides within that training. She needs to earn his respect in order for her potential relationship to blossom. Given that Mulan is an unconventional woman, it stands to reason that she would find her match in an unconventional way. She needs a man who can love her in all of her flaws.

Commanding Officer Shang, another man with power, learns to appreciate her unique way of thinking. Tragedy also links them after Shang loses his father. He knows the feeling that Mulan fears, and it helps him empathize with her struggles. Empathy grows to trust. Trust to respect. Respect to love. Even the Emperor condones the match.

What a match it is.

Mulan is only a Disney princess for marketing purposes. She is so much more than a princess. However, her positive influence makes her deserving of her spot in the line-up. Her heroism inspires more change in her country than any other princess married or born in the position of royalty. Without her, everyone would be dead, China would fall to Mongolia, and Shang would live a lonely life without his soulmate. Her story needs all the limelight it can get.

Does the remake get that message across?