Animated Movie Review
Raya and the Last Dragon ★★★★
Starring: Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina
Directed by: Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada
Written by: Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim
Rated: PG
Running time: 90 minutes
Stream on Disney+ with premier access or view in select theaters near you!
By Dorian Young//
“Raya and the Last Dragon” is everything one can expect from a Disney movie, and more. From great worldbuilding, to great voice acting by Kelly Marie Tran (Raya) and Awkwafina (Sisu), to great comedic and cultural elements, to even greater visual effects— this movie has it all.
However, it does lack creativity regarding the side characters and the different tribal names in the world of Kumandra, and has an unrealistically fast concept of travel time. The film makes up for this with its adventurous storyline. Kumandra is divided even further than before the near-extinction of the dragons when the last orb of dragon magic that banished the plague-like enemy, the Druun, is split into five pieces, one for each of the tribes.
This severing of magic unleashes the Druun again, which consumes everything in its path, turning people and dragons to stone. The Druun are the reason only one dragon remains in all of Kumandra. Raya, warrior-princess of the Heart Tribe, makes it her job to find the last dragon and reassemble the orb to defeat the Druun for good and bring back the loved one she watched turn to stone as a child.
Kumandra is based on Southeastern Asian cultures, elements of which can be seen throughout the film. This cultural aspect is also something that many people have been waiting to see represented on-screen for a long time. It is empowering to see a strong female character who’s ethnically diverse take on the heroine’s role in this movie. “Raya and the Last Dragon” is a movie full of twists and turns and is worth the watch for both children and adults.
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