Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

8/10

 Starring the voices of

Kelly Marie Tran

Awkwafina

Gemma Chan

Daniel Dae Kim

Sandra Oh

 

Directed by Don Hall & Carlos López Estrada

 

Raya and the Last Dragon is one of those animations that comes with not just gorgeous visuals with fantastic voice casting, but a story that has every Disney formular all rolled in.

The story has the needed comedic tone to drive at you for those who want some jokes, the drama of people who are too selfish and self-centered to even help themselves. It also packs action and beauty that comes with slick characters.

Disney created a wonderful film for their streaming platform that I believe is worth taking the time out to watch a second time and your children will love it. The story has all the needed vitamins children need to have a better world. Trust is the key message in this animation and it kept trying hard to pass the message that trust can only be gotten when you trust someone else.

This is Disney’s 59^th animated movie production and it is one that lights the way in the change of many things. The hero is a lady whose enemy is also a lady. So, two top female characters cheer this movie.

The movie starts with us seeing Raya riding her pet. She gives us a brief to what led to this present state, where the world around her is desolated.

The land she lives in is called Kumandra and it was a prosperous land where dragons and humans lived in harmony. The dragons used their magic to make the world flourish until a force called Druun ravaged the earth, turning everything, it touches into stone including the dragons. The five remaining dragons joined their magic together and were able to banish the Druuns. What was left of them was a shinning orb.

The human race broke into five tribes, with the orb residing with Raya’s tribe (heart). The other tribes are envious of the orb present residence believing that the orb was the reason that the land of heart flourishes.

Raya’s father the leader of heart wanted to unite the whole tribe and form Kumandra again. This plan backfired when Raya was betrayed and the orb was damaged. Broken into five bits and each tribe took one. The moment the orb was damaged the Druuns came back and started their rampage of turning everything they touch into stone.

Raya’s father was also turned into stone. Raya is now searching for the last remaining dragon which is believe to be in one of the rivers in Kumandra, hoping it will help her get her father back.

I believe the Covid-19 has done some injustice to this movie, this deserved a full theatre release.