This is a non-spoiler review. What an honor it was to have seen this. The animation was absolutely GORGEOUS. Disney really outdid themselves with this movie and its hard to believe a large chunk of its was done remotely due to Covid. The movie was a visual spectacle and it’s not a stretch for me to say that this is hands down my favorite movie from Disney animations that’s come out in awhile. Not only was the animation beautiful, but I loved that the core of the story emphasizes the importance of putting hope and trust in people, which I feel is a good lesson especially during these times.
The story follows the journey of Raya, who after trusting an enemy is betrayed and ultimately the cause of breaking a sacred stone her civilization guarded, thus unleashing monsters into the world that turn humans into stone. Time passes, and she tries to save humanity by finding the last dragon called Sisu in hopes of uniting the 5 fragments of the stone that broke apart which will also hopefully undo the events from the past. The lore is much deeper than how I described it but I don’t want to give too much away.
The movie is filled with wonderful characters, great music, and uses beautiful landscapes that are hugely inspired by Southeast Asian culture. I feel like the voice acting was great, but that’s never an issue when it comes to Disney animated movies. The story is simple to follow and is perfect for people of all ages making for a great family movie full of action and so much heart, its hard not to instantly fall in love within the first minutes of the movie. Please do yourself a favor and watch whenever you have a chance.
Raya and the Last Dragon is out now in select theaters and available on Disney+ with premier access.
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