Mulan...My Opinion

Have you seen the Mulan movies? I’ve seen both.

The first (Mulan/Film Synopsis):

Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes his spot -- though, as a girl living under a patriarchal regime, she is technically unqualified to serve. She cleverly impersonates a man and goes off to train with fellow recruits. Accompanied by her dragon, Mushu (Eddie Murphy), she uses her smarts to help ward off a Hun invasion, falling in love with a dashing captain along the way.

Sounds cute, right? It is cute! Mulan, at times, is a funny and nice character. Mushu is an adorable (and funny) dragon, who is her sidekick.

Mulan is brave and considered a hero.

There are many articles written on how the movie Mulan is disrespectful but most talk about “racism” and the Chinese culture.

However, I don’t like the movie because it portrays a young woman who not only purposely breaks the rules and customs of her country (to “follow her heart”) but also disrespects her captain (first and second movie) as well as her fiancé (second movie).

Her fiancé is portrayed as a strong man at first, but later, Mulan ends up saving him. That’s fine. It can happen. But I feel the writers went too far to make him look not only weak but stupid. Same in the second movie except worse. She blatantly disrespects her fiancé as well as the man who hired them for a mission. I do understand “following your heart” and why she did what she did. However, there WERE rules and customs in her country, and in real life, when you disobey those (in, let’s say, China) I don’t think you’d get a medal or a beautiful sword. There are consequences.

Ok, ok. I get it. It’s just a movie.

But it’s NOT just a movie. Kids are very easily influenced, especially young girls who look up to princesses and female heroes.

Men and women DO have different roles, but their rights are still equal. Maybe not in all other countries, but even if they’re not, it’s not ok to teach children to go against what is set in place.

I think that’s a part of what is wrong with this country these days. “I’m going to do what I want because I’m such-and-such a race” or “I won’t get in trouble because I identify as…” and so on. When does it stop? What do we start being held accountable for our actions?

Bottom line is that the movie portrays a woman who breaks the rules, laws, and customs of her country and gets no backlash. So it’s ok. Girls, go out and do what you want. No repercussions. Want to speed? Go ahead. Screw the speed limit. Want to take someone’s identity and be a hero? Sure. Nothing will happen to you.

I know there are people out there who can place another spin on the Mulan stories, turning it around that what she did and how she acted was perfectly acceptable. Understand me: I’m not saying it’s wrong to be a strong woman. My point in all of this is it’s NOT ok to disrespect your leader (be it work, military, what have you) OR your partner. And why, lately, is it ok to show men as weak and stupid? 

 

Don’t say you want equal rights then support things that show one sex or race lower than the other.