Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

 

I love this film. Is it the best thing Disney has ever made? Not really, but the colourful designs, the East-Asian mythology (adapted to fit the story) and overall feel of this one just speaks to me on a level not a lot of others do. 

It's the dragons, isn't it? 

Probably.

In a mythical land called Kumandra, trouble is brewing when the various nations all want a dragon gem. They all believe that this gem would bring them power, but this little thing was part of a sacrifice made by the dragons of old to save the land from the Druun, a malevolent force that turns people to stone. 

As one could predict, the gem cracks and the Druun are once again released, wreaking havoc on the lands, thus dividing the nations more than ever. Fast forward six years and Raya, daughter of the keeper of the gem, is looking far and wide for the last dragon called Sisu. Legend has it she's hidden at the end of a river, so she checked all rivers. She actually finds Sisu, who is pretty clueless and in fact was probably the weakest dragon of them all. Together, they set out to find the pieces of the dragon gem in order to make it whole again and so repel the Druun once again. Through their journey to all the lands, Raya discovers that every nation has its own set of problems and in fact, the people are just trying to survive and aren't that different from one another. Fewer differences than Raya ever suspected, and she learns this through Sisu's naivity and good-hearted nature. 

Fair enough, the description doesn't really do the story justice, but one can only give it a chance, because the tale is gripping and far deeper on an emotional level than a lot of Disney productions of old. Things are never really black and white here, which is a refreshing take for once. Sure, the Druun are a menace, but they are more of a peripheral threat. The biggest conflict here is preconceptions about people and it is handled really well. 

Not to mention the animation which is stunning. Every nation has a distinct look and feel and the colourschemes nicely match. This is one of those productions that is vibrant and lively and you feel really immersed thanks to lead characters that are not simply archetypes but actual human beings with faults and all. It just feels bizarrely real and it is so refreshing. The comedy isn't all pervasive, but there certainly are a bunch of laughs to be had, as the story needs some levity to counterpoint the pretty heavy morale behind the story. 

Oh, and Awkwafina is pretty spot on as Sisu. If you think she always goes a little hyper with her comedy, here she is more restrained and it works. 

Will this be a classic among Disneyfilms? Perhaps not, but it would be a shame if this didn't get some more recognition. The story is grippingly told, the visuals pretty amazing, the music excellent and the adventure will speak volumes to both young and old. Give it a chance!