Raya and the Last Dragon movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Raya and the Last Dragon

Available now in theaters on Disney+ with a premium membership of $30

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 47 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

Disney’s newest feature film really feels like an epic adventure in Southeast Asia. It’s the first of its kind that features the beauty of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, and the Philippines. The production team toured many of those areas to get a feel for designing the cultures of this part of the world. The word “raya” actually means “great” in Indonesia. Is the movie great? In some aspects, yet missing the mark in others.

Can you believe that this is Walt Disney Animation Studio’s first fantasy film to not be a musical since The Black Cauldron in 1985? It’s also the first Disney Princess movie of the 2020s. Jennifer Lee’s leadership at Disney Animation Studios seems to offer a more mature perspective. Although he’s only credited as co-director of the film, this is the directorial debut of Paul Briggs, who also gets writing credits. This new film introduces us to several other new voices in animation, all welcome.

THINGS I LIKED:

Gorgeous animation with rich details, striking colors, and realistic textures you can almost feel with your fingers.
Beautiful cinematography. The landscapes and environments are stunning. The character animation is stellar.
The strong cast includes some wonderful voice talent that has already been part of former Disney productions, as well as a few newbies such as Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Won, and even Alan Tudyk. Much, but not all of the cast, is of Asian descent.
I thought it was cute that Raya’s adventures introduce us to entertaining characters along her journey. They’re not fully fleshed out, but there is something for everyone.
The villain’s look reminds me of the beautiful Ruby Rose. I’ve always liked her look.
There are definitely some magical moments that remind you that you’re watching a Disney movie. I always look for and expect that magic in Disney films.
Babies and fuzzy animals…always a good combination.
The fighting style Raya uses with the two sticks is based on the Filipino martial art Kali, also known as Arnis or Escrima. The fight scenes are fairly sophisticated that almost look like live-action sequences.
Lovely musical score by James Newton Howard.
Although the story is completely formulaic, Disney still successfully got me to tear up in the end.
I love it when adventures include traveling through various nations with distinct cultures. The worldbuilding in this film is mesmerizing.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

I’ve seen a surprising number of negative reviews. So many people are complaining that the story is a hot mess, although they agree that the animation is extremely good. What’s interesting is that critics are loving the film, yet “regular” viewers are less enthusiastic. Could it be audiences are resentful of the hefty $30 price tag ON TOP OF the additional Disney+ subscription fee? We heard audiences complain about that when the live-action remake of Mulan did the same thing.
Lots and lots of exposition. You kind of expect that in the beginning, but it goes on and one throughout the entire film.
The story might be confusing for kids.
Not all of the jokes and gags land. Even some of the characters won’t land with audiences.
The character development wasn’t as rich as it could have been. I read a review that said Disney is afraid to have villains and I thought that was an interesting comment since the main villain in this story is an ethereal blob.
Predictable. The story is intriguing, yet borrowed from other movies we’ve already seen.
We really don’t see the theme about trust until Act 3. Do we want to teach our children to blindly trust people who have wronged us before?
The design of the dragons doesn’t seem to fit with the Southeast Asian style, which has much more elegant, sophisticated, and ancient-looking motifs. These look more like fluffy toys with pastel hair that would sit on store shelves near merchandise from My Little Pony.
Poor men. This is yet another Disney female empowerment that features mostly women.
No fun surprises worth watching during the final credits.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Cartoon fighting
Your kids will be introduced to the concept of credit: getting what you want now with the promise of paying for it later. Use this as an opportunity to talk to your children about wise financial management.
No profanity. Yay!
People turn into stone.

THEMES:

Trust
Hope
Community
Working together

INTERESTING LINES:

“How did this land get so broken?” – Raya (Kelly Marie Tran)
“If we don’t learn to trust each other, it’s only a matter of time before we tear each other apart.” – Benja (Daniel Dae Kim)
“Today is a new day.” – Benja (Daniel Dae Kim)
“The world is broken. You can’t trust anyone.” – Raya “Maybe the world is broken because you don’t trust anyone.” – Sisu (Awkwafina)
“Sometimes, you just have to take the first step, even if you’re not ready.” – Sisu (Awkwafina)