This is both cruel and stupid (as it ensures that the army will have lots of over-age and/or handicapped soldiers).
Mulan is both a parallel and a contrast to Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games." Both are women who prefer traditionally masculine activities to stereotypically feminine ones, both have impressive fighting skills, and both volunteer for a dangerous job in order to save a beloved family member (Mulan's father, Katniss' sister).
