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Mulan
Movie

Mulan

1998 • Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Woke Score
4
out of 10

Plot

This retelling of the old Chinese folktale is about the story of a young Chinese maiden who learns that her weakened and lame father is to be called up into the army in order to fight the invading Huns. Knowing that he would never survive the rigours of war in his state, she decides to disguise herself and join in his place. Unknown to her, her ancestors are aware of this and to prevent it, they order a tiny disgraced dragon, Mushu to join her in order to force her to abandon her plan. He agrees, but when he meets Mulan, he learns that she cannot be dissuaded and so decides to help her in the perilous times ahead.

Overall Series Review

Mulan is an animated musical adaptation of a traditional Chinese folktale centered on a young woman who defies rigid societal gender roles to save her ailing father and, ultimately, her country. The film is fundamentally a meritocratic narrative where the main character succeeds not due to her gender, but due to her intelligence, perseverance, and bravery, proving herself capable of the protection and leadership traditionally reserved for men. While the story criticizes a restrictive, patriarchal system that attempts to confine women to specific domestic roles, the critique is contained within a greater reverence for the nation, the Emperor, and the family unit. The climax of the film sees Mulan honored by the highest authority and choosing to return to her family, affirming a balance between individual achievement and familial duty. There are minor progressive elements related to gender non-conformity as a means to an end and an over-emphasis on individualism that critiques the Chinese communal self, but these are offset by a strong sense of filial piety and a lack of identity hierarchy, anti-whiteness, or anti-religious messaging.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics4/10

The core of the plot focuses on a challenge to an ascribed characteristic (gender) in favor of merit, where Mulan's abilities and strategic thinking save the Empire. Casting is authentic to the setting, featuring an entirely Chinese/East Asian world, so there is no forced diversity or vilification of whiteness. The villain group (the Huns) is heavily demonized and racially stereotyped, which acts as a negative identity politics against a non-white group.

Oikophobia3/10

The narrative's central motivation is filial piety, the sacred duty to protect one's father, which is a key value of the home culture. The entire journey is undertaken to save the nation and the Emperor, who is the symbol of the civilization. The film is a critique of the restrictive aspects of the home culture's gender roles, not a blanket demonization of the culture itself. Some analyses suggest the movie pushes a Western 'hyper-individualistic' ideal over the traditional Chinese communal identity.

Feminism7/10

The film explicitly showcases the main character breaking out of traditional gender roles, using a military career path to find self-fulfillment. Mulan is the savior and strategic hero. Men in the training camp are initially depicted as bumbling and incompetent until Mulan pushes them to achieve their potential. The social system (The Matchmaker) is framed as a restrictive trap for women. However, Mulan is not instantly perfect, struggling significantly in her training, and the final resolution includes her choice to return to her family and a romantic interest, pulling back from a pure 'career is the only fulfillment' message.

LGBTQ+3/10

The plot features gender non-conformity via cross-dressing, but this is a temporary disguise used to uphold the traditional duty of filial piety, not an expression of sexual or gender identity. The love story is a normative male-female pairing, and the nuclear/extended family structure is central and championed as the institution worth defending. The film does not include any lecturing on gender theory or centering of alternative sexualities.

Anti-Theism2/10

The story actively includes a spiritual framework, with the ancestors and the dragon spirit Mushu being plot-relevant and acknowledged sources of guidance. The moral framework is transcendent, centered on objective truths like honor, duty, and filial piety. There is no anti-religious sentiment or framing of traditional faith as evil; the religion/spirituality is a source of strength and structure.