Now, I quite like Disney's 1998 animated Mulan, and have not been very enthused about Disney live action remakes in general. Also, I hadn't heard much good of this remake in particular, so my interest in seeing it had been negligible. But I'm also a fond aunt, so here we are... and here's my verdict: this film is really bad, and it's really bad on multiple levels.
And put on my old-time clothes.
I adjust my wispy hair at the window sill,
And apply my bisque makeup by the mirror.
I step out to see my comrades-in-arms,
They are all surprised and astounded:
'We travelled twelve years together,
Yet didn't realise Mulan was a lady!'"
The buck bounds here and there,
Whilst the doe has narrow eyes.
But when the two rabbits run side by side,
How can you tell the female from the male?
Obviously the ballad is making the point that, just as you can't tell if rabbits are male or female when they're running together, so no one could tell that Mulan was a woman when she was fighting amongst the soldiers. I might be slightly sceptical that, in an age of hand-to-hand combat, she could pull that off- especially for 12 years- but hey, it's a good story so we'll go with it, and points to Disney for referencing the original work. Unfortunately, the writing in the film is very poor, so nothing is done to relate this scene to Mulan's situation. It's just something that happens, seemingly for no particular reason; unless you know the original work, you're unlikely to make the connection or even remember the incident because it's never referenced again.
Okay, I have to get ready to go to church, so I'll continue later- in part 2- with the rest of the movie itself.