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Mulan 2
- Review Date: August 1, 2005
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
Mulan stumbles along the road to wedded bliss.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the violence in this animated movie isn't bloody, but it's virtually all unnecessary. The movie hammers home the message that following your heart is always the right choice.
What's the story?
In MULAN II, it's one month after saving China from the Huns and Mulan joyfully becomes engaged to her former captain, Shang. But they are quickly summoned by the emperor for a special mission. To seal an alliance with a neighboring nation, the emperor will send them his three daughters for marriage. Mulan, Shang, and a trio of misfit soldiers accompany the princesses to ensure their safety. The princesses quickly fall in love with the soldiers, however, and don't want to go through with the plan. Thanks to Mushu's meddling, Mulan and Shang break up, and must seal their own alliance even as they figure out how to save China again.
Is it any good?
Good voice actors such as Ming-Na as Mulan and Pat Morita as the emperor return for the sequel to the much-loved Mulan, but clearly the creators had some difficulty figuring out how to build on the legend. Mulan II plays like a Saturday-morning cartoon, with a lightweight story that has China's savior playing matchmaker to three princesses. While in the first movie Mulan's independence and sense of self led her to disobey her father to protect him and save her country, here "following your heart" means that characters fall in love instantaneously, and then disregard agreements made with their parents. Instead of strong, they seem selfish and flighty.
Adding to the silliness is Mulan's watchful dragon Mushu. It's difficult to understand Disney's decision to include even more of this annoying character the second time around. Here, out of jealousy, he stirs up misunderstandings and eventually a grave conflict between Mulan and Shang. In the end events and feelings sort themselves out, but the process isn't very pleasant to watch. The trouble he causes isn't funny, it's sad. The DVD includes a shadow identifying game that may prove difficult for kids. The World of Mulan feature is fun and educational, with an exploration of Chinese cultural symbols.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the importance of respecting others and how fulfilling your responsibilities sometimes shows even more inner strength then doing what you want
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AGE
A very funny movie!!
When i whatched this movie, i laghed SO SO much at the fat guy!! It is HALARIUS!!!
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AGE
First was funny, second is silly.
Why are Disney sequels never as good as the original? Just like Homewardbound 2, Mulan 2 is much worse than the original. It has a shallow plot, it isn't as funny, and there are not that much battle scenes.
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Kid, 12 years old
June 12, 2011
AGE
Just like a regular Disney....great of course!
I personally love Disney movies, and I am a hard person to please with them! This movie has become one of my favorites! It is so cute, and the music is sweet! There is only one part that is sad and a tiny bit intense...but it is not bad and it eventually turns out good! I highly recomend this movie! BTW: any teens who are looking for a good movie that is light and that (if you like) you can talk through, it may seem silly but this is a perfect movie for a sleepover if you are young at heart!
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AGE
An appropriate sequel
I found this sequel to be entertaining. My two daughters LOVE this one also. Our favorite scene is the one of the all the little girls in the village idolize Mulan and learn the yin and yang of being a warrior.
Yes there are some scary moments and there is "fighting" but that's all part of the typical, Disney formula.
I found it educational as you get a glimpse of how Chinese culture is with daughters having to marry for duty and how they have conflicted feelings about what is expected and what they want to do. But Mulan balances that out as she is symbol of one who follows her heart, which is accepted by her parents and somewhat by Shang. You also see what compromise is and how to accept others for who they are too.
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AGE
I remember I was really excited when this movie came out. It was the reason my family bought their first DVD player (up until then, we had only owned a VCR!), because it was released on DVD. Sequels never compare to the original movie, and although this movie was great, the first Mulan movie will always be my favorite. The musical numbers in this movie are few-- there are three songs, and one is a reprise of another from the first movie. A couple years before Mulan 2 was released, I had read many fan fiction stories online and had expected that something similar would happen in the movie, like the return of the Huns, or a great story about Mulan's daughter carrying out the same journey Mulan did in the first movie... Mulan 2, in reality, wasn't as exciting as I had hoped. It's still a wonderful movie, though, and better than most of the Disney sequels. Young children probably won't understand a lot of the topics discussed, like 'your duty is to your heart' and arranged marriages, but they'll enjoy it. Older kids will like it too.
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AGE
This sequel to Mulan was okay. There isn't as much action in it as the first, and the plot is okay. Mushu isn';t very funny, and the way he manipulates Mulan and Shang is selfish, and not very funny. (Disney got rid of their great comideans; first it was Robin Williams and then it was Eddi Murphy). It's an okay film, but I don't reccomend it.
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AGE
Good messages for preeschoolers
In the beginning it teaches lesson number one and that keeps balance.But the fighting can get a bit extreeme but nothing to bad.Mulan is a great role modle because she likes to help people and loves to teach young kids and tries to be patient.
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AGE
a sad sequel
This one started off promising -- Mulan is joyfully teaching a group of adoring young girls the yin and yang of warriorship (balance and skill, toughness and serenity). Then along comes Li Shang, who proposes marriage to her. We hear her squeal delightedly from a distance as her grandmother exclaims "she said yes!" Much celebration by family follows. The movie spends a lot of time on Mulan getting married and becoming a female partner to General Shang. When the Emperor calls them for help with a new mission (safely transporting his 3 daughters to their new husbands), he calls General Shang to lead the troops. Mulan -- who saved China after all (and Gen. Shang a couple of times) -- is relegated to helpmate. Her feminist spirit is only displayed by her anger at the fact the girls are undertaking arranged marriages. She urges them to 'follow their hearts', much to the displeasure of Shang. In the end, she marries him despite their enormous differences. And the princesses get to marry their love matches too. All ends with much marrying and kissing and celebrating, and Mulan peacefully telling Mushu how she now defers decision-making to her husband. Why did Disney ruin the Mulan story with this nonsense? I wasn't thrilled.
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AGE
Good Kids Movie
I liked this movie pretty well. I actually thought it was kind of cheesy. The beginning, where she's teaching the little kids was kind of cool. Then it kind of went downhill from there. Overall, it was a good movie, not my favorite, but good. I recommend you see it.
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| Topics: | princesses and fairies, adventures |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Director: | Darrell Rooney |
| Cast: | Lucy Liu, Ming-Na, Sandra Oh |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 79 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | February 1, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | February 1, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
| MPAA explanation: | all audiences |
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