Raya's Radiant Film Lights Up the Screen
Disney's "Raya and The Last Dragon" successfully captures the hearts of viewers.
By Isabella Wight
Disney's "Raya and The Last Dragon" successfully captures the hearts of viewers.
By Isabella Wight
“Raya and the Last Dragon” is the fun and colorful film we all need right now. Featuring Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess, Raya, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, Raya has to find the last dragon in order to save her divided home from the Druun, a mindless plague that turns everyone it touches into stone.
The main lesson of the story is about having more trust in people which is something Raya struggles with, and it almost becomes a fatal flaw for her. Raya is an amazing character in the way that she is strong and independent, but not perfect. I could really see her as being a character that younger girls can look up to.
All of the characters in this film were voiced well, were extremely memorable, and not just two-dimensional background characters. For example, Sisu, the last dragon, voiced by Awkwafina, was a sidekick character that actually had her own story and problems, and Namaari, voiced by Gemma Chan, the main antagonist, is complex and has motivations that go beyond the classic petty Disney villain stuff.
This movie also has stunningly beautiful and colorful scenery. The animation is great and easily keeps the audience engaged. The story takes place in a fantasy world called Kumandra, which is inspired by Southeast Asia. Every location is gorgeous, from the floating market in Talon to the snowy fort in Spine. With the fantastic animation and great soundtrack, the story was really able to come alive. The movie’s main song, “Gabay,” sung by KZ Tandingan is also Disney’s first-ever Filipino-language song. The fight scenes were amazing, especially the scene where Raya and Namaari fight as the world crumbles around them.
A downside of this movie would be the plot. If you missed Raya’s monologue at the beginning of the movie you would be extremely confused. The story was entertaining, but it felt a bit rushed. I feel like they could have developed the plot a bit more to make the emotional impact stronger. However, I think there’s a lot more that Disney can do with this world, and I hope they make a sequel or a TV show to expand on it more.
Overall, the film is pretty good. It’s not perfect, but it’s enjoyable and worth watching. This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy, and I think getting the Premiere Access needed to watch it is worth it.
You can watch Raya and the Last Dragon today on Disney+ with Premiere Access for $30 or for free starting June 4.
The main lesson of the story is about having more trust in people which is something Raya struggles with, and it almost becomes a fatal flaw for her. Raya is an amazing character in the way that she is strong and independent, but not perfect. I could really see her as being a character that younger girls can look up to.
All of the characters in this film were voiced well, were extremely memorable, and not just two-dimensional background characters. For example, Sisu, the last dragon, voiced by Awkwafina, was a sidekick character that actually had her own story and problems, and Namaari, voiced by Gemma Chan, the main antagonist, is complex and has motivations that go beyond the classic petty Disney villain stuff.
This movie also has stunningly beautiful and colorful scenery. The animation is great and easily keeps the audience engaged. The story takes place in a fantasy world called Kumandra, which is inspired by Southeast Asia. Every location is gorgeous, from the floating market in Talon to the snowy fort in Spine. With the fantastic animation and great soundtrack, the story was really able to come alive. The movie’s main song, “Gabay,” sung by KZ Tandingan is also Disney’s first-ever Filipino-language song. The fight scenes were amazing, especially the scene where Raya and Namaari fight as the world crumbles around them.
A downside of this movie would be the plot. If you missed Raya’s monologue at the beginning of the movie you would be extremely confused. The story was entertaining, but it felt a bit rushed. I feel like they could have developed the plot a bit more to make the emotional impact stronger. However, I think there’s a lot more that Disney can do with this world, and I hope they make a sequel or a TV show to expand on it more.
Overall, the film is pretty good. It’s not perfect, but it’s enjoyable and worth watching. This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy, and I think getting the Premiere Access needed to watch it is worth it.
You can watch Raya and the Last Dragon today on Disney+ with Premiere Access for $30 or for free starting June 4.