Raya and The Lost Dragon: A Review
Written by Reyna Pablo & Edited by Roxanne Egamino
Hooray! Rejoice! Celebrate! Southeast Asians finally have their own Disney princess! Many people have been looking forward to this movie and see it as the next step in Asian representation in the media, especially since Disney, a major player in the industry, has created it. The movie Raya and the Last Dragon combines different aspects of several Southeast Asian cultures, which may lead to confusion for some non-Asians. However, it contains a stunning abundance of parts of Southeast Asian cultures that will make Southeast Asians say, “Look! That is where we are from!”
The movie begins with the main character Raya narrating the history of Kumandra, once prosperous land where dragons co-existed with humans. They lived together in prosperity until the Druun, a plague that takes the form of an amorphous, dark purple and black cloud, turned everyone to stone using the humans’ moment of weakness to attack. The dragons fought to save humans, but eventually, they were defeated. Sisu, the last dragon, entrusted a powerful gem capable of reviving humans and repelling darkness to humans and then disappeared. Unfortunately, the dragons remained suspended in stone. Years later, Kumandra divided into five regions — Heart, Tail, Talon, Spine, and Fang — due to the quest for the gem. The Heart region keeps Sisu’s gem, and one day, Raya, the princess, and her father, Chief Benja, invite the leaders of the other regions to Heart for a peace summit. When Raya allows Fang princess Namaari to look at the gem, only to be betrayed, and the gem shatters in an ensuing fight. The Druun are unleashed, and the evil force turns people to stone, including Chief Benja. Six years later, Raya and her beloved sidekick, Tuk Tuk, a giant pill bug, are on a mission to find Sisu and reunite the gem pieces. Raya and Tuk Tuk succeed in finding Sisu who’s a sassy, sweet, and optimistic character, and with her help, they travel together to assemble the gem, using the pieces that lie in the rest of Kumandra’s regions. They eventually team up with locals from each region as they work to stop the Druun once and for all. The team overcomes roadblocks together, and in the end, defeats the last one with trust.
The theme of Raya and the Last Dragon portrays something that is quested for in this age-unity. Her sole purpose in finding the last dragon is to save her father, but it also began as a mission to save Kumandra and its people. The movie includes complex plots and themes that are refreshing to watch and great for children to ask questions about, which include trust, forgiveness, courage, and standings on political grounds. It educates kids and encourages them on the importance of trust and cooperation in this world of confusion, betrayals, and division. The movie also doesn’t downplay the humor. It balances the moments of peril and grief with loveable characters like Tuk Tuk, Raya’s animal sidekick, Noi, the little con baby, and Sisu, the comedic dragon who is just as charming as her voice actress. The fact that there is no romance in the film (though everybody is shipping Raya and Namaari, which is very agreeable) allows the movie to emphasize unity and the “found family” that was created.
This Southeast Asia-inspired adventure introduces the next great Disney warrior princess to join the likes of Merida and Mulan. An immediate standout of the film is its rich and colorful visual splendor that borrows from Southeast Asian culture. Though the term has taken on perhaps a bit too much importance in today’s franchise-driven ecosystem, Raya and the Last Dragon does a wonderful job of world-building by dropping its viewers into delightfully different pockets of regional society that share common mythology. The varying designs, color schemes, and even architecture of each culture, specifically tailored to each tribe, is a sight to behold. Amazingly, the majority of the production work was done from home during the pandemic, including most of the voice acting. Many families may find themselves pausing and rewinding the movie just to take in the diversity of landscapes, costumes, and characters, and the music score is stellar even though it isn’t a musical.
All in all, the movie is a spectacular sight and is a must-watch for all families and crowds. The pleasing sight of a Disney princess and adventurous world is for everyone to enjoy. Have you watched Raya and the Last Dragon? What are your thoughts?
Sources:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/raya-and-the-last-dragon
https://observer.com/2021/03/raya-and-the-last-dragon-review-disney/
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/raya-and-the-last-dragon-movie-review-2021
https://collider.com/raya-and-the-last-dragon-review-disney/
