For the better part of a century, Disney has been carefully formulating a template for blockbusting success. Churning out mega-hit after mega-hit on a semi-annual basis is no happy accident and the family-friendly behemoth has gotten that formula down pat – they’ve even exported it to the god-knows-how-many subdivisions of their corporate content creation stations. But going into any Disney animated movie specifically, you have a basic idea of what to expect: there will be a brave, slightly defiant female protagonist who doesn’t quite fit in with her community; an unbearably cute little animal sidekick who manages to be snarky even if they can’t talk; a quest to restore a kingdom; and a dead parent or two. You can never forget about the dead parent bit. 

All that’s to say that even for a studio that is decidedly dependable in terms of plot and narrative, Raya and the Last Dragon still feels like an effort that is noticeably of a kind. Directed by Carlos López Estrada and Don Hall from a script by Adele Lim and Qui Nguyen, Raya and the Last Dragon plays like a greatest hits record of Disney princess past, borrowing most specifically from Moana and Frozen.

Kelly Marie Tran voices Raya, daughter of the now-ravaged land of Kumandra. 500 years ago, dragons and humans lived in harmony until a malevolent plague known as the Druun divided Kumandra’s people, spurning the dragon race to make the ultimate sacrifice to save their human brethren. When the Druun return and once again turn Kumandra into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Raya must hunt down the Sisu (Awkwafina), the legendary last remaining dragon, and the shattered pieces of a powerful dragon stone to save her land and reunite its people. 

With a voice cast of predominantly Asian-American performers that also includes Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, and Ross Butler, Raya and the Last Dragon is a step in the right direction for representation onscreen but it’s hard to ignore the fact that it feels like Disney slopped a fresh coat of racial paint on a familiar story and called it a day. That criticism only has so much weight though when the result of that rewash feels so vibrant and lived in. 

The once united Kumandra is broken into five subdivisions – Heart, Fang, Tail, Talon, and Spine – and each feels like a different Asian region, resplendent with its own culture and aesthetics. As Raya journeys from one to another hunting down the stones, the full might of Disney’s animation powers is on clear display. This thing looks simply gorgeous and the great diversity of its landscapes serve to highlight the wowing craftsmanship on display. 

As a narrative beast, Raya and the Last Dragon feels very much like a Disney Princess doing a Lord of the Rings thing with more sight gags, which in theory I should have absolutely no complaints about but in practice just feels like it’s on tonal autopilot. That Raya and the Last Dragon succeeds in spite of this is a testament to the stunning animation, talented voice cast and the enduring supremacy of the Disney formula. All hail the king. 

CONCLUSION: Disney Animation Studios one-ups their craftsmanship in the Asian-set adventure ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’, a beautiful-to-look-at effort that feels decidedly borrowed from establishment narratives. The jokey aspect works less than it usually does – and the musical sing-a-longs are sorely missed – but the voice cast is second to none.

B-

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