Mulan II

Disney | 79 minutes | 2004 | G | Directed by: Darryl Rooney |
Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

Mulan has proven herself to be not just a strong woman, but a brave warrior and one just as strong as her male counterparts. She had to hide her feminine side in order to go to battle, but she took on the Huns with immense courage, even with her life on the line. In the end she prevailed and her nation was saved, but her adventure hasn't ended just yet. Just when she thinks she can relax and settle down for a while, General Shang approaches her with another request. He doesn't want her at his side in battle this time however, instead he wants her hand in marriage. The two can't begin their future together yet though, as the Emperor has sent down orders that send them on a crucial secret mission. The couple is to escort three princesses safely to their destination, a mission that could be most dangerous. As the road is traveled, danger surfaces in various forms and Mushu even becomes a problem. If Mulan is married, Mushu loses his position as guardian and in order to avoid that, he seeks to break up Mulan and Shang's romance. When Mulan wishes to help the princesses escape a wedding to men they don't love, she and Shang collide. To do so would defy direct orders from the Emperor, but Mulan is more concerned with her conscience, not her orders. All the while, Mushu continues to drive the wedge between the two in deeper. As the fate of China hangs in the balance, can these two settle their differences or will this mission tear the two apart?

The trend of direct to video sequels continues for Disney, but is Mulan II just another inferior sequel, or does it buck the trend? Mulan wasn't a smash success in theaters, but found an audience on home video and is one of the better releases from final run of Disney's traditional animated features. Yes, the sidekicks lessen the atmosphere, but the story is good and on the whole, Mulan was a solid picture. Not even close to Disney's best, but head and shoulders above fare like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas. So now we have this sequel, which to be honest, I don't understand the need for, but that's just me. Even so, I found Mulan II to be a fun movie, one that is sure to please younger audiences. The story lacks the emotion of the original, but the focus here turns to laughs, instead of more dramatic elements. In other words, the sidekicks take a more prominent role and instead of war, the central theme is romance. A number of cast members return, but an importance absentee is Eddie Murphy, who has been replaced as the voice of Mushu. A decent impersonation is present and given Murphy's high asking price, perhaps this replacement was best. As expected, the animation is a step down, but still looks good, which is all we can ask in this case. I had a lot of doubts about Mulan II, but once you put the drama of the original aside, this sequel can be quite fun to watch. I can't recommend a blind purchase, but if you or your kids love Disney, then Mulan II is well worth a rental.

Mulan II is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a great visual treatment, with no real room for complaints. I voiced my slight disappointment over the animation already, so no need to refocus on that here. The image looks as good as we could want, with a clean print and a sharp overall presence. The detail level is excellent, but due to the simplistic animation used, depth is never allowed to be that impressive. I found colors to be bright and pleasant, while contrast is smooth and consistent as well. Not much else we could demand here, so a great looking visual effort from Disney on this one.

The audio here is impressive, thanks to the included Dolby Digital 5.1 EX soundtrack. This movie has a lot of scenes of action, from martial arts to chases, so the surrounds have plenty of chances to show off. And that's what happens, as the speakers burst with presence, of both the subtle and powerful varieties. In fact, few moments pass in which the surrounds aren't active, so this mix will put your system through its paces. The bass kicks deep and the sound effects boom, so you'll feel like a samurai yourself. The dialogue is clean and clear throughout, so vocals never become a problem in the least. If I had a complaint here, it would be the rather dull musical score presentation, as the tunes seem weak here. I like the actual music, but in this mix, the sound effects dominate and the score is given little life. This disc also includes French and Spanish language tracks, as well as English subtitles, should you need those.

In addition to four deleted sequences, you can view two featurettes, each worth a look. The first focuses on the talent behind the voices of Mulan II. So you'll be able to see the cast in action, which is cool, as we see inside the process of voice acting. The second is with Mushu himself, as he guides us on a special tour of Chinese culture and history. History Channel it isn't, but kids should learn a little here. This disc also includes a special game with Mushu, as well as an Atomic Kitten music video.