Raya and the Last Dragon

While this doesn’t quite match the humour and emotion of Moana, and it’s unlikely to have the cultural impact of Frozen, Raya and the Last Dragon is the latest of Disney’s recent “fairy tales” that bring character and adventure to the forefront. It’s also arguably the most action-packed of all of Disney’s animated films, as well as including some of the most breath-taking animation I’ve seen.

Premise: Five hundred years after the last dragons in the land of Kumandra sacrificed themselves to save humanity from a plague of supernatural spirits, society has fractured into separate tribes, each of which are distrustful of the others. While Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim) dreams of reuniting the people of Kumandra, his daughter Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) is more wary, at least until she befriends Namaari (Gemma Chan), the daughter of the Chief of another tribe. But soon a power struggle between the tribes for control of the orb containing the last vestiges of the dragons’ magic threatens everyone’s futures.

Review:

First up, I do want to talk about the animation, as it’s genuinely some of the most beautiful and most visually striking animation I’ve seen in a long time. But it’s not just the technical quality of the animation (which is impressive), it’s also the quality of the direction itself. Co-directors Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Paul Briggs and John Ripa have made this feel like a truly epic, fantasy adventure film, with shot compositions that can rival any live-action equivalent.

On top of that, there’s the fight choreography, which also contributes to the feeling that Raya and the Last Dragon is unlike any Disney animation film that’s come before it. There are extended fight sequences involving unarmed martial arts, sword fights, long-staffs, whips and dual fighting-sticks, all of which are as impressive as most “real” action films (no doubt thanks to the input of the numerous fight consultants and stunt coordinators that worked on this movie).

“…Raya is the hero of her own story, & isn’t reliant on any male characters…”

Story-wise, Raya and the Last Dragon also feels about as far removed from the old fashioned “Disney princess” movies as Disney is ever going to get. Whereas the “princess” in Frozen still had a romantic subplot (albeit one that didn’t prevent Anna from standing on her own two feet), and Moana had no romance per se but still required its “princess” to find a male character to save her people, Raya and the Last Dragon has no romantic subplot whatsoever. Yes, Raya is a “Disney princess” in the sense that she’s the daughter of her tribe’s Chief and she has a (non-talking) animal companion, but in every other sense, she’s the hero of her own story. She doesn’t find (or look for) love, and she isn’t reliant on any male characters to complete her quest. The filmmakers’ decision to make the main antagonist a female character as well (when it could so easily have been written as a male character) also helps distance this film from others that have included a potential romantic connection between the film’s principle protagonist and antagonist (like – spoiler alert – in the first Frozen film).

The film is also culturally distinctive, as it has clearly made a concerted effort to embrace and represent Southeast Asian mythology and culture (just Moana did with Polynesian mythology and culture). Almost the entire cast (which includes Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Benedict Wong, Daniel Dae Kim and Sandra Oh) is Asian American, and at a time when Western audiences are recognising the importance of representation on screen, this is another important milestone in a “mainstream” film.

“…an action packed, family friendly, epic fantasy adventure…”

I’ve avoided saying too much about the specific details of the plot, as I knew very little going into this, and I think it’s arguably a more enjoyable viewing experience that way. But I will say that the way in which the story unfolds was quite unexpected, and the relationships that develop between the characters also feel quite three-dimensional for what is, when all is said and done, an animated adventure primarily aimed at children. Alongside the overt plot, the film also has a lot to say thematically about isolationism and tribal prejudices, which seems sadly topical in today’s world.

All in all, Raya and the Last Dragon is enough of a departure from “traditional” Disney animations that it should appeal to new viewers who are looking for an action packed, family friendly, epic fantasy adventure, while still retaining enough of the comedy, light-heartedness and life lessons to also satisfy long-time Disney animation fans.