Raya and the Last Dragon features a flawed, yet independent, character who strays away from the typical damsel-in-distress model we are accustomed to.
Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans, and dragons lived together in harmony. However, when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned, and it’s up to a lone warrior to track down the last dragon and stop the Druun for good.
Raya and the Last Dragon is another magnificent addition to animated entertainment and is also one of those movies that release at the exact moment it needs to. Talking about the animation, the film gets its inspiration from the region of Southeast Asia, and the animators have done an incredible job at creating lush and vibrant landscapes that the characters must navigate through. At some moments throughout the film, the realism of the animation can trick the eye into thinking parts of the film could be live-action, mainly when water is involved, which is an important aspect of the film’s plot.
Now, the characters are just as important to the story as anything else. What I liked most about the characters is that the story never sidelined anyone, and every character was given full backstories and the chance for viewers to get emotionally invested in them.
Speaking of characters, Raya is a breath of fresh air. She is a strong, independent woman who can definitely handle herself. Kelly Marie Tran, who voices the title character, is charming and the perfect person to voice the role. It’s nice to finally have a Disney movie that doesn’t have the typical love interest, and she doesn’t need to rely on a man to help her on her adventure. I mean yes she does end up with a tiny group, but she is undeniably the leader.
Disney has been known to give us some strong-willed female heroines over the years, but there has always been a man at their side to rely on. Moana, for example, had to rely on Maui and his powers during her quest. Raya is a different type of heroine. Not only does she lead her troop, but she also inspires them, which makes them all better people, which I think is a much more important trait than just being strong and independent. This is a character that all children, and adults, should inspire to be and look up to.
Raya and the Last Dragon is a must-see, magnificent animated movie that will sure to be an instant favorite. Raya and the Last Dragon is now playing in select theaters and streaming on Disney Plus with Premiere Access.
What did you think of the film? Sound off in the comments.
