Her name is “Mulan,” and this young woman draws attention wherever she goes.
She’s nimble, active, full of energy and independent. In other words, she’s all of the things a woman should not be in ancient China.
“What man would want to marry a girl who flits around rooftops chasing chickens?” her mom asks.
But Mulan isn’t worried about marriage. She’s concerned about her aging and partially disabled father, who has been drafted into the emperor’s army to help beat back a dangerous invasion. Her parents had no sons, and as the only male in the house, Mulan’s father is required to fight – leg brace and all.
Mulan, though, believes she has a better idea. She’ll take her father’s place in the army and disguise herself as a man. She’ll also use his sword and wear his armor, each of which served him well in previous battles.
And she’ll sneak away in the middle of the night so her parents – especially her father – can’t stop her. Will she survive?
Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan (PG-13), now on Disney Plus, tells the well-known story of a young woman who becomes a legendary warrior while hiding her secret. It stars Yifei Liu as Mulan and was directed by Niki Caro (The Zookeeper’s Wife, McFarland, USA).
Here are four things you should know:
Photo courtesy: ©Disney
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.