Raya and the Last Dragon review

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON: 

LATEST DISNEY ANIMATED FILM IS DESTINED TO BECOME AN INSTANT CLASSIC!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

DISNEY

Meet the newest butt-kicking Disney heroine in Raya and the Last Dragon

 

            A young girl embarks on a quest to find the last dragon and save her land in Raya and the Last Dragon, the latest animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios and the second Disney film to be released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access, the first being the Mulan remake. I’ll just say it, this is a far better movie to spend $30 on than the Mulan remake, where do I even start with this film? I love just about everything in this movie from the gorgeous animation and the colorful cast of characters to its phenomenal story and world building, it could even be quite possibly in my Top 5 Favorite Disney Films of All Time, that’s how much I love this film. 

            The film is set in the fantasy world of Kumandra where humans and dragons lived in harmony 500 years ago, but that all changed when monsters known as the Druun came and threatened the land by turning everyone into stone. In order to stop the Druun and save humanity, the dragons sacrificed themselves. Now 500 years later, the monsters have returned, and a girl named Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran-CollegeHumor, Star Wars: The Last Jedi/The Rise of Skywalker, The Croods: A New Age) embarks on a journey to find the last dragon known as Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina-Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, Jumanji: The Next Level) to stop the Druun for good and save Kumandra. 

            Along the way, Raya encounters a 10-year-old shrimp restaurant owner whose restaurant is on a boat named Boun (voiced by newcomer Izaac Wang) and a toddler con-artist or “Con-Baby” known as Little Noi who accompany her and her pet pill bug/armadillo Tuk Tuk (voiced by Disney regular Alan Tudyk-Wreck-It Ralph/Ralph Breaks the Internet, Frozen, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) on their adventure. However, Raya soon learns that it’s going to take more than dragon magic to save the world but also a lot of trust as well. 

            The film also features the voices of Gemma Chan (Doctor Who, Crazy Rich Asians, Captain Marvel) as Raya’s nemesis Namaari, Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Angel, The Good Doctor) as Raya’s father Chief Benja, Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy, Sideways, Killing Eve) as Virana, and Benedict Wong (Marco Polo, The Martian, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as Tong. 

            Overall, Raya and the Last Dragon is a breathtaking and very well put together film whether you’re watching it in theaters or at home and destined to become an instant Disney classic alongside other recent hits like Frozen, Zootopia, and Moana. Given the fact that it’s Disney, of course the animation is absolutely gorgeous, and it looks even more incredible on the big screen and the main characters are extremely likable, but the real meat of this movie is the story and world building, and they do a phenomenal job with that. 

            The film starts off with this wonderful backstory that’s beautifully animated about the Kumandra world and what the dragons’ purposes are (Each dragon has a certain power or represents a specific element, like for example, a dragon can make and control rain). The backstory is kept short and simple without overstuffing it with exposition and mostly told visually and by doing so, we know everything we need to know about how this world works without ever getting lost. 

            While I was watching it, I kept thinking back to the 2016 Disney film Moana and how it broke through the Disney mold and became one of the most unique and different animated features in Disney’s catalog. This can often be considered as an extension to what Moana started to do except pushed even further. 

            Raya is probably the most unique animated Disney Princess film we’ve gotten so far for several reasons, it isn’t a musical and is more action-oriented compared to other Disney movies, there’s no love interest, and no villain (Not even a surprise villain!), just people with disagreements, that’s progression Disney! This could almost be considered game-changing for Disney as it probably relies on the traditional Disney formula the least out of their other fairy-tale or fantasy films, I’ll always enjoy Disney’s animated musicals but it’s always a breath of fresh air to see them use their animation skills on something different.  

            Plot wise, this is probably one of Disney’s best and boldest stories they’ve ever told (And that’s saying a lot, I know!). At times, it does rely on some Disney tropes whenever necessary and borrows from several different stories but is combined in a way that’s very clever and often quite effective in terms of both characters and story, and it has a strong moral on trust. 

            All the characters are extremely likable, Raya despite not being able to trust others so easily is very charming and engaging when she’s interacting with the dragon as well as her chemistry with these other characters who join her on her quest who are quite humorous like the 10-year-old ship captain and the con-baby, Sisu, an eccentric and really funny dragon is a ton of fun to watch and listen to (Not just because she’s voiced by Awkwafina) and she and Raya have a strong bond throughout the film. Even characters you would think are villains like Namaari, a warrior princess from a rivaling tribe despite having a rivalry with Raya is only trying to do what’s best for her tribe, everyone pretty much has the same goal in this film which is a lot more compelling than her being portrayed as a full-on villain which probably wouldn’t suit this movie that well. 

            The animation and artistry of this movie is amazing to the point where you could practically freeze any frame of this film and put it in an art museum. It’s easily one of Disney’s best-looking films where you’re no longer watching an animated feature, you are watching a living, breathing work of art. 

            I think I’ve gushed about this movie long enough; Raya and the Last Dragon is absolutely fantastic and follows in the footsteps of Frozen, Zootopia, and Moana as an instant classic with breathtaking animation, memorable characters, and bold storytelling. Given all the chaos that’s been going on in the world right now, I think we could all use some Disney magic and Raya delivers just that whether you’re watching it on the big screen or streaming it at home on Disney+, this is one dragon adventure not to be missed.