My expectations for Raya and the Last Dragon were puzzled. Of course, it’s coming from Disney, slapping that $30 price tag on top of the Disney+ subscription, and much of their recent work has been rather underwhelming. However, this film is directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada. That’s right, the man who directed Blindspotting, which is one of my favorite films of all time to the extent I even wrote a whole essay on it.
Also Read: ‘Chaos Walking’ (2021) Movie Review
Some aspects hold back Raya and the Last Dragon from being a revolutionary piece of Disney animation. There are plenty of instances of exposition dumps and plot-induced nonsense, and the film as a whole feels all too derivative of “Princess Mononoke”. That being said, it’s still a lot of fun.
The main character of Raya, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, is a magnificent protagonist. You follow her along the way as she journeys to find the last remaining dragon, complimented by a charismatic performance from the wonderful Awkwafina, to restore Kumandra from its dismal state. Her motivations are made very clear, and they constantly come at odds with Namaari, a warrior from a rival tribe.
The dynamic those two shares is easily the most interesting part of the film, and when they clash, the animation is superb, as expected from Disney. The musical score is bountiful and blends perfectly with the tone of the film. Technically speaking, so much is done tremendously well with this film. It is beautiful to look at.
Raya and the Last Dragon holds enough to keep you emotionally invested. There are plenty of eccentric characters and heightened moments of drama within a plot that keeps itself moving. It sadly isn’t saved from some of the traditional trappings found in most modern Disney films, but it has enough flair to exhilarate and charm.
Review by Zach Kraus
Follow Zach on IG – @pretentiousfilmcritic
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