RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON
US, 2021, 107 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaak Wang, Gemma Chan, Benedict Wong, Alan Tudyk, Sandra Oh
Directed by Don Hall, Carolos Lopez Estrada.
This is a rather lavish Disney animation, computer-generated, full of bright colour, a lot of action, some comic touches (a touch corny!), But a quest, an adventure, a female hero, a female villain, and a female Dragon, who acts and talks in many ways as one commentator said, “goofy�.
The film received favourable critical comment but was not as successful at the box office as hoped for, but released simultaneously in cinemas and on the Disney streaming channel.
This is a princess story, in the tradition of so many Disney princesses. But, more in the tradition of Mulan and Moana. In fact, this story derives from Southeast Asia, one of the main writers, Vietnamese background, the other, Malaysian background (and contributed to the screenplay of Crazy Rich Asians). And all the characters have a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
Which makes the reviewer wonder why many of the public put up barriers to the film. Are they being invited into a world which is strange, which they do not understand? And, wide audiences uncomfortable with the range of the characters and their behaviour? Not necessarily consciously so, perhaps unconsciously reacting negatively?
That said, we certainly are introduced to a strange world, an exotic kingdom. Unfamiliar. 500 years ago, there were many dragons, flying around the skies, with magic powers, protecting the humans and their cities from an insinuating evil power, black and smoky, the Druun, invade, turning the dragons into stone, petrifying humans, sucking out their life force and stop all rain.
Now, in the present, it is time to fight against the Druun, to find the last surviving Dragon, Susi, to find the pieces of the broken orb which gives power to repel the evil attackers. The one chosen to lead this crusade is Raya, a spirited young woman, trained as a warrior by her father, experiencing the petrifying of her father and so much of her world. The five cities are at enmity with each other and Raya is persecuted and pursued, especially by a young woman, her age, Namaari.
We share the quest, Raya searching for and discovering Susi (who can shape shift into human form), encountering a range of allies, a large armadillo who is friendly and that she can ride, a young boy who has a boat and is a top chef, a rugged and rough warrior with one eye, and for tiny tots making eccentric sounds but able to infiltrate enemy territory with some skills!
Which means then to a climax. After retrieving some of the parts of the orb, the remaining parties held by the city of Fang, Namaara’s mother. Strategies are thought up: direct attack or, Susi’s suggestion, friendly negotiation. Which seems to go well at first, but builds up to extreme mistrust, an elaborate sword fight between Raya and Namaari, Susi wounded, the orb seeming to lose its power. But, there is also self-sacrifice as each of the characters is willing to be petrified.
Not a spoiler to say that all is well in the end and we are all delighted, peace, reconciliation, healing rains, the return of the dragons, happiness all round.
1. A Disney film? A warrior princess? The tradition of princesses? But a different mythology, Southeast Asia? Different from audience expectations of a Disney film?
2. The quality of the animation, computer-generated, characters and action, backgrounds and layout, vivid colour, editing and pace? The musical score?
3. The background mythology, a re-imagined Earth, unfamiliar names, the ethnic peoples, the cities, the different cultures? The coming of the Druun? Symbol of evil? Petrifying the humans? Petrifying the dragons? The surviving Dragon, the stones, their power, the need for them to come together, to restore peace, the coming of the rain and fruitfulness, the possibility of peoples and reconciliation? The Southeast Asian backgrounds of the creators of the story, of the writers of the screenplay, Vietnam, Malaysia…?
4. The range of characters? Eccentricities? Old and young? Male and female? Children and toddlers? Raya and the armadillo? The Dragon, her appearance, human transformations? The range of voices, accents, serious dialogue, slang comedy?
5. The kingdom, the five cities and their corresponding names to the human body, their collaboration, the magic of the dragons? The emergence of the Druun, evil power, petrifying humans and dragons, absorbing their life force?
6. 500 years passing, Sisu, the remaining Dragon, feminine, colour, transformations, jokey? The need for reviving the other dragons? The power of the rain, the flow of water, the kingdoms in the drought?
7. The kingdoms, the different styles, the orb and its power, the kingdoms having different parts? The hostilities? Jealousies? Protectiveness?
8. Raya, the distant princess, the training by her father, his commission? Her journey, finding Sisu, befriending
9. Sisu? Sisu in human form? The contrast with Namaari, from the kingdom of Fang, the domination of her mother, warrior? The different enemies for Raya, the pursuit, the leadership of Namaari?
10. Raya, her adventures, wanting to assemble the five pieces of the orb, going to the different kingdoms, the dangers, the adventures, the dark caves, retrieving the pieces?
11. The encounters along the way, the large and the armadillo, size, carrying Raya? In the adventures? The encounter with the young boy, Boun, his age, his boat, cooking skills, helping? The encounter with the old warrior, rough and ready? The little creatures and their idiosyncrasies?
12. The shared adventures, the dangers? Proceeding to the Kingdom of Fang? The wealthy kingdom, the palace, Namaari, the role of her mother?
13. The discussion of the strategies for getting the piece of the orb from Fang? Raya and the warrior solution? Sisu and the more personal approach? The debates? The sending of the Dragon emblem to Namaari, her response, coming to meet the group, the discussions, the spear, Sisu and her being speared, falling into the water? Raya and the sword fights with Namaari?
14. Sisu and a story of trust, the loss of trust in the past, her not being able to save the people? The orb, the final piece, Raya and the others willing to sacrifice themselves and be petrified, and Namaari petrified?
15. The self-sacrifice, the orb and its power dying, reviving, the rains coming, the waterfalls flowing, the petrified dust falling from everyone? Happiness, everybody reunited, prayer and her father?
16. A happy resolution? Future? A different Disney Princess and her adventures?
