Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) Movie Review
Raya and the Last Dragon is the latest animated movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios. It takes place in the fantasy world of Kumandra. 500 years ago an evil force called the Druun began taking over Kumandra and turning all those who lived there into stone. Eventually, the dragons of Kumandra used the last of their powers to create an orb that defeated the Druun. This orb also brought everyone who had been turned to stone back to life, except for the dragons who remained trapped in limbo.
After all this, the people of Kumandra divided into tribes and instead of working together, fought over the orb. Chief Benja’s (Daniel Dae Kim) tribe has the remaining piece of the orb and is tasked with protecting it. He trains his daughter Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) to protect the orb too. But Benja believes the tribes could come together in peace and invites the other leaders to feast at his home. Raya befriends a young girl named Namaari (Gemma Chan) and they bond over their shared love of dragons. Raya takes Namaari to see the orb but Namaari tricks her and all of the tribes convene to try to steal the orb. Chaos ensues and the orb is smashed and each of the tribes steals a piece. This causes the Druun to be reawakened and people begin turning to stone.
Six years pass, and the rest of the movie sees Raya on a mission to find the last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina). Raya hopes Sisu can help her defeat the Druun and bring her father back from stone. Raya and the Last Dragon is a fantastical adventure story that is bursting with creativity and fun. Sisu is the standout, looking more like a llama than a dragon. She is funny and hopeful and still believes the best in humans despite the evidence to the contrary.
The animation of Raya and the Last Dragon is nothing we haven’t seen before, but there are a bunch of creative elements, particularly where the dragons are concerned that make this movie tons of fun. Sisu is a great swimmer, can use metamorphosis to change into any shape, can move through the air using water etc. Plus, Sisu and Raya’s relationship is very sweet with each learning an important lesson from the other. The supporting characters are a blast as well. Raya links up with a young boy, Boun (Izaac Wang) who lost his family to the Druun and sells food to make ends meet. He is adorable and entrepreneurial and helps Raya and Sisu out of some tight spots. There’s a con baby, Little Noi (Thalia Tran), who lost her parents as well and is a master of tricking others to get what she wants. They all meet up with Tong (Benedict Wong), the sole survivor of his tribe, who longs to get his wife and baby back.
This band of misfits form a bond and all help Raya on her quest to reunite the orb pieces and defeat the Druun once again. These odd characters add so many wholesome moments to the movie and you’ll find yourself rooting for this newly formed family to win, despite the odds. With important messages like how working together is beneficial for everyone Raya and the Last Dragon is a wholesome and fun movie for people of all ages.
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You like fantasy stories
2. You’re looking for a family friendly movie
3. You like stories about dragons
