In Disney’s latest animated feature, Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), a fierce warrior princess of a fallen kingdom, traverses the treacherous landscape of Kumandra in search of a dragon and magical orb fragments that could potentially reinstate balance to her adverse world.
She discovers a stream in an almost barren desert that could indicate the location of the last dragon Sisu (Awkwafina); she pulls down her mask in wonderment at the notion of even a semblance of potential hope as the searing sun bears down on her in a gorgeous wide shot, a brilliant visual choice for this rollicking adventure that references beloved classic cinema from post-apocalyptic to samurai pictures.
Roughly 500 years before, the mystical dragon creatures had used their remaining magic to create an orb to eradicate the Druun, a supernatural epidemic and force that pervaded the land and turned people into stone; the dragons, though, tragically were petrified in their noble sacrifice to revive those fallen. However, peace was not fully restored, as a power struggle for the orb fractures this world into the five opposing and warring tribes of Fang, Heart, Tail, Spine and Talon. Raya explains it aptly in her narration near the film’s beginning: “People being people.”
Richly intimate in character and robustly epic in scope, Raya and the Last Dragon is a supremely involving cinematic experience that will undeniably electrify people of all ages. It weds so many elements of Southeast Asian culture to enamoring effect. From the striking imagery to the inspired mythology, this film immerses its audience into a textured slice of affectionate, passionate storytelling that is just as thrilling to ponder as it is to behold its sumptuous visuals.
With a story that poignantly elucidates the paramount importance of unity in a politically fraught landscape, this film kinetically thrusts through a dense plot brimming with dramatic weight, taut stakes and complicated characters, balancing all its threads with flair. The titular Raya is not one shade of characterization but a richly drawn mosaic that makes her all-the-more compelling. She is courageous and resourceful but also somewhat repressed by the trauma of a peaceful home that was squandered by her father’s attempt to altruistically enable peace, but Sisu insists that the only antidote for a world plagued by political animosity is trust and compassion. Raya’s and Namaari’s, another warrior princess from the tribe of Fang, tumultuous rivalry particularly enriches the film thematically as Namaari pursues Raya to acquire the orbs for only her tribe’s prosperity.
Directors Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada understand that perhaps the most imperative and fundamental building block of world-building is an eclectic collection of subtleties that expound a sociopolitical tapestry. Small details like a young Namaari being embarrassed by her tribe’s scarcity of rice, which suggests a disproportionate distribution of resources that would leave some tribes in shambles, or a mesmerizing scene of Sisu frolicking on water and in the sky as a small fellowship composed of people spanning from several tribes watch in amazement, demonstrating the beauty of unity, are wonderful. This strong sense of character and setting renders an extremely introspective story that astonishes.
Hall and Estrada also direct this film with staggering visual intuition that is often only paralleled by live action features. There is a visceral fluidity in the shots and choreography of the combat scenes that is absolutely enthralling. This often supplements and elevates the somewhat formulaic plot, which feels particularly too rote in its exposition. There are several scenes that are broad and redundant in some storytelling beats, especially with repeated expository dialogue that can take precedence over the characters.
However, Raya and the Last Dragon is a worthy entry in the Disney animated canon, particularly bolstered by the exemplary voicework of a stoic yet resonant Tran and comedically sensational Awkwafina. Comfortably familiar and rudimentary sporadically in its structure, occasionally to a fault, Raya and the Last Dragon is nonetheless exhilarating and enrapturing because of its striking aesthetic, character, and thematic choices.
Grade: B+
Raya and the Last Dragon is now available in theaters and on Disney+ for a premium fee.
Photo Credit / Walt Disney Pictures
