At its core, Caro's "Mulan" is quietly revolutionary, as it revels in the exhilarating sight of a young woman fighting for and earning her place in the world.

I can only describe Mulan as a visually spectacular disappointment. Void of any emotional resonance, the film eschews coherent storytelling for what amounts to an Orientalist war epic masquerading as a feminist win for Asians everywhere.

Its cast, its attitude, its overall eagerness to please -- all benefits, one would think -- don't add up to a good movie. They add up to a blueprint of the movie this ought to be.

I didn't have a terrible time with ['Mulan'] and it's the best live-action [Disney] movie since 'Jungle Book.'