“Mulan” is an inspiration to young women everywhere. Even though it is a period piece, I believe that Mulan being fearless and breaking barriers in the strict patriarchal society she is bound to is just one of the many ways this should be classified as a feminist film. This motion picture is rich in culture and portrays Mulan’s journey perfectly.

The live action version of “Mulan” was released to the public via Disney Plus on September 4th, 2020. The role of Mulan was played by Chinese American actress Lui Yifei (also known as Crystal Lui). The original animated film was released 23 years ago, in 1998. The film is about a girl who struggles to fit the status quo and wants to protect her family. She defies all odds to bring honor to her ancestors.

As Mulan enters young adulthood, she is forced to see a matchmaker with hopes of bringing honor to her family. Meanwhile, China is on the verge of war which results in the Imperial Army requesting her father to serve, and Mulan knows that he is in no condition to do so. This results in her pretending to be a man to battle with China’s northern invaders.

I thought the “no music” approach was quite refreshing for Disney. There was obviously a soundtrack, but they decided to do away with the songs from the original. I think that added sophistication to the film and highlighted the different hardships Mulan faced in a world against her while she was pretending to be a man. I loved how in the film Mulan was the most successful when she was herself. This is very important because there are young women all over the world who have watched or are going to watch this film, making it a great message to be received and acted on in their futures and applied to their daily lives.

I believe this film is catered towards children and adults because this story is not portrayed as “too childish” but also isn’t too sophisticated either. I would recommend giving this film a watch because it possesses several very important messages, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat. This film is also great if you are into Asian culture. The film is filled with culture in every frame and I find it very enriching and enlightening to visually absorb Mulan’s heritage and be more immersed in the movie.