I’ve been interested in this movie since I first heard about it and psyched for it since I saw the first trailer, but that Disney+ Premier Access is no joke. While I can see how paying $30 for a streaming rental would be worth it for, say, a family of four (especially if their young kids are like me when I was little and watch the same movies over and over again,) that’s awfully steep for a single adult who’s used to catching $5 Tuesday movies. So, I didn’t see Raya and the Last Dragon until it was given its general Disney+ release this week.
500 years ago, the kingdom of Kumandra split into five regions. Their land, once filled with benevolent water-bringing dragons, was ravaged by deadly monsters, and after the dragons gave their lives to banish the monsters, the peoples of Kumandra fought over the Dragon Gem, the last remnant of the dragons’ power. When a battle over the Gem causes the monsters to reawaken, Princess Raya of the Heart region journeys throughout the regions of the former Kumandra in search of Sisu, the last dragon and the kingdom’s best hope of defeating the monsters once again.
That’s kind of an involved summary, and I feel like it still doesn’t fully get at what this movie’s about. There’s a lot going on here: we have some majorly-boss princess fight scenes, a mythical dragon savior who doesn’t quite match up to the legends about her, a childhood betrayal whose effects are still felt in the present day, and a quest that forces the wary Raya to travel all across Kumandra and forge unlikely alliances with people from the different regions. There are places where the film feels overly busy or the messaging feels clunky (if you drank every time someone tells Raya she needs to be more trusting, you would die,) but by and large, this is a solid adventure film that features cool action, a compelling heroine, and plenty of likeable side characters.
Also, the animation is gorgeous. I love the paper-puppet look of the expository intro, the wide scenic shots look incredible, and the journey through the various regions of Kumandra gives us a chance to see five different fully-realized settings, each with its own look and feel. I know that the story takes place in a fictional Southeast-Asian-inspired kingdom rather than an actual Southeast Asian country because the filmmakers wanted to take visual/cultural inspiration from multiple countries throughout the region, and that decision is beautifully realized in the film.
Kelly Marie Tran (aka Rose from the Star Wars sequels) is really great as Raya. She’s tough and hardened by her experiences, which sets her apart from a lot of Disney princesses, but her determination and ingenuity are traits she shares with her fellow princesses, and much of the film is about her learning to find her faith in humanity again after having been burned. In the trailers, I wasn’t quite sure how well Awkwafina’s vibe as Sisu would mesh with the rest of the movie, but it didn’t take long for her to charm me. Sisu is loud and bright and funny, but she’s also very sweet and hopeful, reflective of the trust that Raya has lost (also, she’s animated wonderfully – love it.)
All of Raya’s acquired sidekicks are a delight. My favorite is the enterprising young Boun, but I also really enjoy the conniving Little Noi and the lonely warrior Tong, the latter played by Benedict Wong. Other voice actors who deserve a shoutout are Gemma Chan as Namaari, a rival of Raya’s who also goes on an important journey, and Daniel Dae Kim, who’s utterly warm and splendid as Raya’s dad. Additional actors of note include Sandra Oh, Lucille Soong (Grandma Huang from Fresh Off the Boat,) Dichen Lachman, Patti Harrison (Ruthie from Shrill!), and Disney’s now ever-present Alan Tudyk, who voices Raya’s non-speaking animal sidekick Tuk Tuk (who is adorable.)
Warnings
Violence, scary moments for kids, and thematic elements.
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