Mulan is the epitome of everything wrong with Disney right now.

For starters, understand that Mulan is not so much a movie, as it is a “product.” First and foremost, the impetus behind Mulan is to generate maximum commerical consumption through endorsements of sugar-coated breakfast cereals, fast food, fruit snacks, and the launching of a whole line of toys, clothing, and other merchandise; the details and quality of the actual “movie” are ancillary and secondary concerns.

While utilizing some remarkable animation, the film itself is as flimsy as the toys you get with the McDonald’s Happy Meal. Another example of shameful corporate pandering to politically correct and feminist ideology, Mulan fits perfect into the string of PC Nineties films released by Disney (Pocohontas, Hunchback, etc.,), in which everything “western,” “Christian,” “male” or “traditional” etc., is portrayed as bad, while its opposite, is of course, good. For example, Mulan single-handedly (1) destroys the entire Hun army (2) saves the Emporer of China’s life, and (3) armed with nothing but a hand fan, wastes the Hun leader – because “Girls Kick Butt.” Men, on the other hand, are portrayed throughout the film as fumbling, bumbling, nose-picking idiots who provide comic relief.

The songs and lyrics – take “A Girl Worth Fighting For” (a song intended to show us how “dumb” and “chauvenistic” men are) or “Honor to Us All” – are weak, canned, second-rate material fit for a Christopher Guest “spoof-umentary” of Walt Disney musicals in the vein of “Second Wind,” or “Spinal Tap.”

And for good measure, Disney had to make sure to throw in plenty of inappropriate sexual/body function/bathroom humor for a “family” film that still somehow garnered a “G” rating. Lots of yucks are provided for example, in a story-line that could easily work in a soft-core flick as Mulan frolics in a lake with a bunch of nude men, herself naked. While no nudity is actually shown, it is MORE than implied as the men prod her to join in a game of “King of the Rock.” Faithful sidekick Mushu saves the day, however, by biting one of the men’s “butts” to create a diversion. As Mulan makes her getaway, she proclaims that she never wants to see another naked man as long as she lives – but not before the entire chinese army parades past her in the buff on their way to the lake. Nice.

Of course, the antics in Mulan pale in comparison to the gross-out gags/inappropriate content in other “family” movies like Shrek, and later Disney films, Lilo & Stitch and Home on the Range. However, its sad that Disney felt it had to compromise its art and include any of this kind of material in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

And finally, the story. Sheer Disney. While trying to appear politically correct by using a non-Western story and characters, the film quite remarkably had the opposite effect. It turned off Asian-American audiences in droves by its stereotypical and offensive portrayals of its Asian characters – complete with slanty eyes and buck teeth -, mindless and racist assumptions about Chinese culture, and an apparent inability to distinguish amongst Asian cultures throughout the movie (complete with Chinese chracters wearing Japanese style kimonos as they perform a Japanese tea ceremony and Huns – a Central Asian Turkic People – drawn like Mongol Hordes. Oh well, I guess if you’re Disney, “all those asians look alike” anyway…).

The story of Mulan itself – a character from Chinese literature and folklore – was “Disneyfied” per usual to fit the Hollywood formula and social agenda of Disney, much to the dismay of those familiar with the REAL Mulan. In the end, Disney’s shallow and crass attempt to “embrace diversity” was revealed for what it was.

As long as Disney remains a soulless corporation, controlled by money-grubbing CEO’s like Michael Eisner, who’s only concern is maximizing profits, this is the best you can hope for. Its no surprise that the only worthwhile thing to come out of Disney during its self-proclaimed rebirth, has been Fantasia 2000 – the pet project of Walt Disney’s own son, Roy Disney, who incidentally was pivotal in trying to wrest the control of Disney from Eisner.

Like I said, the animation is good stuff. Watch it and be moderately entertained for an hour; laugh at Eddie Murphy’s one-liners. Just don’t give this “product” any more credit than it deserves.

First things first: How the hell did a little green dragon suddenly appear and become her guide? When the Mongol hoards came at China, why were they four times the size of the normal guys and why could they jump off cliffs and not get hurt? And then when, miraculously, all the Mongol hoards died except for 12 people, how did those people suddenly get to Beijing within 5 days without any horses? And how did 12 Mongols defeat the entire captain of the guard for the Emperor, and take him hostage? And for the finale, how did a little Chinese girl take out Genghis Khan with a staff when he had a sword and was seven times her size? On further note: Eddie, we know your drug addiction is using up a lot of your money, but that is no excuse to sell your voice to a shotty movie like this! Disney, your ideas are stale, your productions have gone down the drain, and soon, your park just might fall down…be warned! I’ll be forming an anti-Disney strike. See you soon.