‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Film Review: Disney Animated Epic Offers a Dynamic, Complex Saga
From dazzling visuals to grand-scale world-building to an extraordinary voice cast, this sweeping feature has it allAlonso Duralde | March 1, 2021 @ 9:00 AM
Disney
At a time when it’s seemingly impossible to reach consensus about anything from science and meteorology to how economies function and who should benefit from them, it’s either daring or divisive for “Raya and the Last Dragon” to make a case for reaching out to our enemies and trusting them to put the common good above factional rivalry.
How viewers will respond to that kind of message in a family-friendly period fantasy will no doubt vary, but the film itself is a gorgeous piece of work that features elaborate and ambitious world-building, stunning visuals and an A-team of impressive voice actors. It’s a film with a lot on its mind and plenty of plot and character plates to spin, but the results are both impre
Raya and the Last Dragon Celebrates Southeast Asian Culture written by Michael Lee January 26, 2021
Walt Disney Animation Studio’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” is a celebration of representation on several fronts. Though Disney is no stranger to the region, having released films like “Aladdin” and “Mulan,” “Raya” is the first of Disney’s animated features to be inspired by Southeast Asia. And not only is Southeast Asian culture present in the visuals and story, but it is also in the voices that you’ll hear and the creative team behind the production of the film.
Growing up in Malaysia, co-writer and producer Adele Lim has fond memories of honoring family tradition and having fun recreating Disney magic. She recalled how her grandmother loved all things Disney. So much so that she would put on plays based on their films for their friends and family. Her grandmother was a living connection to their traditions. Between the stories that