I loved it. Clearly one of my new 3D Animated Movies. The Animation was amazing and I really digged the Dragon Styles. The Characters were also great. All around a good movie
Outstanding animation, but extremely predictable story. Ideal for the kids, I guess. 6.5/10.
This is not a movie about dragons and the world of Kumandra. This is about Earth, this is the real world. We are divided, groups of people completely hating each other inside the same nation.
Unfortunately we are facing our own Druun, our plague. But as in the movie, this isn't our biggest problem. The real enemy is our inability to work together as a community, to put aside political views and really trust each other, working together for the best of everybody.
Beyond the important and necessary message, the movie is a fun adventure, the world building is great and the technical aspect is what you would expect of a Disney movie.
I wish they had done a mini series with this IP. It has a lot of potential but the movie felt a bit rushed. Still really liked the movie, well done, good story even though it is quite predictable, but the world is great and I wish we could have seen more of it.
Really heartfelt story. My kids were a little freaked out when Sisu got shot in the heart and basically died for a while , wish that hadn't lasted so long, but still very emotional film at the end when everyone came back to life .
Definitely recommend, very classic Disney movie. Also no songs, so that's a huge plus for me !
I thought this movie started off really strong. I found the whole concept and the setting of the world to be very interesting. But then the dragon character appeared and everything started spiralling downwards. Sisu (the dragon) was annoying, and ruined the entire tone of the movie as soon as she popped up on screen. I get that this is Disney and they like to have a lot of humour thrown in, but Sisu was just too much. For most of the movie, she was just comic relief. Then the movie continued going downhill by introducing a ninja baby who had been raised by monkeys. I was so disappointed to find that this promising movie with a great setting was taking this route of just filling the movie with ridiculous comic relief characters.
The movie also felt way too fast. The characters were jumping from location to location like it was nothing. It would have been nice to stop and breathe, and to spend some time exploring and learning about the different regions in this world. But instead, the characters just leapfrogged from one location to the next, barely brushing over the intricacies of what seemed to be interesting places and cultures. There was simply too much going on for a movie of this length.
It wasn't all bad though. As I said, it started well. And although I wouldn't say the ending was great, it was certainly decent - although I'm still confused as to why the dragons all came back at the end, when they didn't come back the last time the gem had been forged. Maybe I missed something? Anyway, the main issue was with the middle 70%, and it's not even that it was bad, it's that it was generic and extremely disappointing. I felt like there was so much potential for a great story to be told in this world, but instead we got a bunch of shallow, comic relief side characters rushing from one location to the next, not even giving us a chance to explore these seemingly interesting places.
I'm probably being too generous when I give this movie a 6/10.
Like others have pointed out, it's basically Moana + Avatar: The Last Airbender + MLP: Friendship is Magic.
The symbolism was kinda sloppy and shallow. If the Drunn were personifications of human discord, greediness and other dark sides of humanity, then they should've only affected the bad people first and manipulated them to corrupt and turn others evil like them. That would've been a much more realistic and emotionally complex story, I think, especially if people couldn't immediately tell if someone had been turned or not, which is where trust and kindness would come in.
[Disney+] After "Mulan" (2020) Disney continues to try to conquer the Chinese market and the rest of the world has to continue supporting stories structured with elements from decades ago. The formula ends up being repetitive and boring because the writers have no experience in animated film, and they do not intend to deviate from the traditional. The result is visually rich but narratively poor.
It looked pretty and the story was ok but I don't know... something about it seemed off. Maybe I'm just jaded and can't buy into whole "happily ever after" storylines any more.
Yet again, Disney have proved that they are the masters of this genre.
The story is wonderful, the animation is beautiful and it makes you feel great.
The perfect message for this time of Covid-19... the world working together to battle what could destroy it.
Hold on to your hat, and your heart, as you experience utter movie magic.
9/10
It started off well but in the end it twisted the blame onto the victim instead of forcing the bad guy to accept responsibility. Namarri says that Raya's inability to trust killed Sisu but never accepts that she destroyed her ability to trust. Had she not betrayed her and caused her dad to turn to stone none of this would of happened but, sure, let's turn the blame onto the one she hurt instead of making her take the blame she deserves. Ugh... Anyone who has ever been abused and suffered trust issues has heard this garbage from the world over and over. Just get over it already. It's your fault all your relationships fail because you can't trust anyone even though your mother/father/friend/ex broke your trust so badly you barely trust yourself. But sure, let's make the good guy accept responsibility and sacrifice themselves so that the bad guy can be made into the good guy without accepting the blame. That's healthy to teach children, especially young girls who already have to deal with a world that tells them they're responsible for everything that happens to them. Pretty film, garbage moral.
First of all: What is good about this movie? Raya tells a story about a south east asian girl who has to face the consequences for trusting other people and by that let the country fall apart. Lost her father and her home, she now tries to amend her mistakes from the past and search the for last remaining dragon that could fix all that happened. As so far a quite ordinary Disney tale... But Raya outshines with its South East Asian setting, the cultural references in food e.g. congee and traditions e.g.liveries. Background and soundtracks are quite fitting in this tropical asian atmosphere and gives the viewer a proper impression of South East Asia. If the goal was depicting cultural aspects correctly, Raya did a quite great job. Another good point are the characters. They are very creative and original: Tuk-Tuk a pet with a driving function, Boun a little energetic boy (quite ordinary), Tong a big warrior with a hard shelf but a soft inside... but the best are the monkeys and the con-baby. The con-baby is that thing that keeps the viewers watching. It's cute but perfidious, something contrary that fits quite well, a big entertainment factor. On the other side Raya did a terrible job by depicting some other characters. Rayas father a warm-hearted ideologist never blames anyone and only sees the good in people. Deluded. A goofy "dragon" or should I call a unicorn-snake that is both naive and ignorant and that also tries to envoke the gullible part in Raya. Convincing her trusting and believe everyone with no exceptions. As the story continues the people of Kumandra were rescued by the "power of trust" at the end as the broken gem wondrously regains power at the end (quite strong plot armor) and depretified anyone and even the dragons that should have been already awaken by the first gem magical blast from 500 years ago but nevermind plotconvenience! . To summarise, Raya is quite an ordinary preachy Disney film like some others. Nevertheless it outshines through its style, originality and some characters. Also, it's the first Disney movie with an south east asian heroine. But the story is quite simple and provoke you to trust everyone with no doubt and shows you an deluded perception of life. The movie was not bad at all, in fact it was in some parts very enjoyable, but in most parts too utopistic and unrealistic.
On the whole this was a very good Disney movie, it had the usual Disney heart similar to Moana which made the movie good. The stand-out parts are the different characters that join the group and make up the heart.
The part that wasn't good was Awkwafina as Sisu. I just could not gel with her voice/character as this ancient dragon. The voice, the attitude and the mannerisms just didn't sit with me. That was the major pain point for me, however getting past that it was a great movie!
well, the dragons are ridiculous but everything else is beautiful, animation is really good and the story is great
Raya is one of the best Disney films I have ever seen and what makes it special is a story that is far from their usual and a visual style that is truly unique in the animation world. I am not gonna say anything more, Raya is one of my Top 10 films of 2021 as it literally ticks every box for me.
Not just a film for kids as well, if you love martial arts films or films about asian culture in general then you will love this film as it pays homage to both in my opinion and honestly this is how the Mulan remake should've been handled.
This honestly missed the mark as a Disney classic. There wasn't really much originality in it and it felt really rushed. I mean, I saw Onward after Raya for the first time and it was so much superior, so much more deep! I mean, they are both about a quest, a journey to save a loved one, but Raya's journey just felt so... unsatisfactory.
While Raya herself was a strong, indipendent woman, she still fell in the category of the personality-less hero, with good motives, good skills, but overall flavorless. Namaari was a much better written character and even more interesting; shame we didn't see much of her in the movie. I guess they had to make space for SISU'S AWFUL JOKES.
Yeah, Sisu was just annoying. I also wanted to see more of the dragons, but they decided that the beings that were the premise of the movie weren't important enough, so let's just show them all together at the very end, for exactly 2 minutes
In conclusion, this might be a decent animated movie for a child (or for someone who approaches animated movies for the first time), but it will not do anything for any die-hard Disney/Pixar fan.
I'm not gonna cry. it's the same everytime, why would i cry over something this childish, get it together, you're a man. Then i cried.
Scored it a 9, but it'd be a 10 if it had real dragons.
Despite facing production issues, Raya and the Last Dragon has finally been released on Disney+. The film features an impressive voice cast including Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, and Gemma Chan and offers a rare representation of Asian culture in Disney animation. The movie follows Raya, voiced by Tran, as she sets out to find the last dragon and use its power to rid her land of Kumandra of the evil that has taken over it. The animation is visually stunning, as expected from a Disney film, with crisp movements, beautiful landscapes, and a vibrant color palette, accompanied by a rich score. The voice actors are well-suited to their characters, with Tran effectively capturing Raya's fierceness and vulnerability, and Awkwafina balancing comedic and dramatic elements as the last dragon, Sisu. The characters are well-developed and enjoyable to watch, even the scheming antagonists. The movie touches on themes of hope, trust, and forgiveness, but these messages are not particularly groundbreaking. While the film may be slightly too long, it is captivating throughout. Raya and the Last Dragon is a visual masterpiece and offers a new strong princess for Disney fans.
A pesar de enfrentar problemas de producción, Raya and the Last Dragon finalmente se lanzó en Disney +. La película presenta un elenco de voces impresionante que incluye a Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Sandra Oh y Gemma Chan y ofrece una rara representación de la cultura asiática en la animación de Disney. La película sigue a Raya, con la voz de Tran, mientras se propone encontrar al último dragón y usar su poder para librar a su tierra de Kumandra del mal que se ha apoderado de ella. La animación es visualmente deslumbrante, como se espera de una película de Disney, con movimientos nítidos, hermosos paisajes y una paleta de colores vibrantes, acompañada de una rica partitura. Los actores de doblaje se adaptan bien a sus personajes, con Tran capturando efectivamente la fiereza y vulnerabilidad de Raya, y Awkwafina equilibrando elementos cómicos y dramáticos como el último dragón, Sisu. Los personajes están bien desarrollados y son agradables de ver, incluso los intrigantes antagonistas. La película toca temas de esperanza, confianza y perdón, pero estos mensajes no son particularmente innovadores. Si bien la película puede ser un poco demasiado larga, es cautivadora en todo momento. Raya and the Last Dragon es una obra maestra visual y ofrece una nueva princesa fuerte para los fans de Disney.
So. this is a weird one to review.
the general idea is quite lovely, but the final product feels very... rushed? it's a bit like watching a straight to DVD release from the early 2000 story wise. I loved the idea of creating a oriental based mythos but the idea that seemed promising ended up feeling a bit shallow and underdeveloped. I finished the movie not knowing the name for more than 3 characters. the visuals are pretty but you can see this was a lower budget Disney lroject. it's a very enjoyable movie but it felt that they had to wrap up the story in a rush and a lot of aspects ended up being irrelevant.
a fun time but definitely not one of Disney's best recent movies.
Fantastic visuals and a wonderful story with compelling characters. If only humanity could be this compassionate.
You miss the songs. I think this is a movie that could have had some awesome songs and not bad songs like Mulan. Still it was a really fun ride with really good world building. There's a lot of room to expand and explore. As an example we never talked about Raya's prejudices of the other lands directly even though the movie implies a lot to do with it. But this is a movie about saving the world not living in it and I can definitely respect this film for having a tight scope and keeping inside of it. Even though we take the left at the fork it's the fact that the right looks real that makes it feel like a decision and everything in Raya feels like part of a real story. Each of these characters feel like they could have their own stories that are half fleshed out already.
It’s cute and it’s funny (especially Sisu) and it’s bears a great truth about how divided people are. The moment we all unite is the moment we get dragons and I’m all for that!
hell yeah! I am such a hoe for stunning cultural illustration.
gonna roll with that and forget about some of the interesting acting/script choices!
7/10
Decent movie, but something felt really off.
Storywise, it's interesting, but again, something is missing. Parts of the movie seemed very rushed and cringy like Raya and Namaari becoming best friends in 2 minutes because they are "dragon nerds"? Come on.
Humor was annoying more than funny, especially Sisu most of the time.
Decent at best, but nothing special or spectacular like it seemed to be before release.
Disappointing. They put all the possible cliches in the plot, and not in a good way. The dragons don't have any charisma besides having a terrible design. I liked the protagonist but, as all the characters, her personality isn't well developed.
this is clearly a "disney" movie, not a pixar one.
the animation and visuals are awesome, the story is a fantasy cliché. it obviously that they focus on getting more money on east countries like china. the amout of mascosts and lovable sidekicks are there only to sell products with their faces.
It failed to hold my attention.
I didn't know it was a Disney movie till after watching it. Felt more like a DreamWorks movie to me. Something lacked. The story was not deep but it was enjoyable. Can't say what it was with it but i just didn't feel that whole tingly joy i get after a Disney master piece.
The bit that really annoyed me was the baby finding her mother after the unstoning it makes no sense if the gap was 6 years and her mother was in that city then how did she get stoned and the baby was no older than 2 it is awful how many narrative points made no sense. like why did the claw girl bring a cross bow to a peaceful exchange either way, she wouldn't have got what she wanted there were so many other plot points that could have been avoided. And another thing Disney couldn't afford a voice actors for the other dragons what is with that. the first fragment they pickup is dark and has that skeleton holding the fragment and how that person is rigged up to the trap that is so disgusting there would have to had been someone to hookup a skeleton (or a dead person) to a booby trap. truly horrifying.
Like thick socks on a cold morning, Raya and the Last Dragon is comforting, feels good and will warm you through and through.
Easily my favorite part of the film is Kelly Marie Tran's voice work. She does an amazing job voicing the titular character and the rest is pure, if predictable, Disney Princess pap.
On the other hand, the message about trust was way off the mark because literally 95% of the film shows you why trusting anyone is a shit idea.
That said, I wasn't prepared for how emotional I got at the ending. I must be getting sensitive in my dotage.
Ehhhh it was okay, nothing special and a bit predictable, still nice and I have extra star for Tuk tuk, much preferred Luca over this
Found it to be over hyped. Didnt really feel the drama or thrill. Kinda lack lustre.
'Raya and the Last Dragon' is a story that mirrors reality and some of the problems we face currently. It brings a positive story about coming together in a time of turmoil and polarization, in the face of a (not so subtle real world metaphor) imminent threat. With the best technical visuals an animated movie can probably bring us today, likeable characters and a good balance between serious and lighter tones, this is a perfect movie to watch with your kids or just alone on a big screen.
'Raya and the Last Dragon' is once again a new frontier in (3D) animated film. The absolutely stunning animation is rich in color and with a lot of attention to detail. The lightning, water, facial expressions and movements are of a level rarely seen before. Disney once again proves to be at the utmost forefront of technical capabilities in (3D) animated film.
One of the most noticeable issues in the movie is the editing. Pacing and tone are never actually bad, but events happen fairly quickly one after another, which makes the journey not feel like much of a challenge to overcome. There are also some tonal issues between moments when the dragon is on screen, and the main characters conflict. Considering the primary focus group for Disney is kids, this is not something I would call as too problematic.
The cutting is too fast for my taste though. A bit more time to be able appreciate the beautiful shots of landscapes or other scenes would have been nice. And where the editing mostly starts to fall apart is when fast paced scenes (like fighting scenes) happen. The cutting is too often and too fast, which can trigger a feeling of dizziness at times.
Again, as a movie primarily aimed at kids, I do not expect depths to the likes of 'Mulholland Drive', 'Se7en' or even 'Spirited Away', so the following is not a major complaint. The characters are decent, sometimes original, and well rounded, world building is done well (although I personally thought the exposition could have been a bit better integrated) and the dialogue does not feel forced and has a good flow.
At the end of the movie I do feel the characters and story are a bit lacking in depth. I think that even without making the characters or story more complicated, this could have been improved by giving a but more time for the characters (and viewer) to grasp the situation they are in. To let them contemplate the situation, and give them some time to breath.
Because of the clear message the movie is giving off, the story is fairly predictable. And even while the message of trust can be a bit in your face at times, this does not detract of the enjoyment I had while watching.
With beautiful animation, good world building, a nice sounding score and rather original characters and the general fast pace, this is a movie that is a feast to watch (especially with kids.) The decent but predictable story is good enough to carry it's message properly, without it getting annoying. Overall 'Raya and the Last Dragon' is a good new addition to the Disney animated movie collection.
I enjoyed it. What a beautiful and well-crafted animated film. I loved the story, it's beautiful, about how hard it could be to find trust in others. You still got that magic from Disney movies and this one got me emotional. The characters were great and genuine. I liked Awkwafina in here but I think some of the jokes would make this film feel not as timeless as any timeless disney animatied movie. Being Southeast asian myself, I'm proud that our culture were being represented in here.
Movie’s not even out yet and it’s got an 81% rating. Amazing.
Not sure if it’s cause I watched this while hangover or because I miss Southeast Asia so freaking much, but my god MY GOD. this film touched me deeply. What a gorgeous story, what beautiful animation, what a magical journey. I have found my new comfort animation movie:blue_heart:
the animation and overall design was great, however the story was very meh and there was no real attachment to the characters by the end.
Cute. Didn’t strike me as overwhelmingly anything other than cute until the end, when it totally jerked my tear ducts
Welcome to Kumandra
beautiful stunning environments, but the screenplay overall has nothing that I could write home about…
Nice animation with a hint of fantasy and moral as usual. But the motif of a gentle barbarian was already present in several fairy tales of this stable. ;)
In a nation divided by hard civic borders, plus a generation's worth of simmering distrust, a diplomatic olive branch is extended and then snapped. This betrayal shatters both the uneasy peace and a symbolic crystal, the latter of which unleashes a cloud of spectral monsters and envelops the land in a lasting chaos. Years later, in a dark and dangerous new age, a determined young heiress seeks to heal both wounds by awakening a mythical dragon and gathering the crystal shards.
I'm making this sound stuffier than it really is. Although Raya is driven by her responsibility and the fantastical plot is a little stiff, the periphery is crammed with the standard helping of wacky Disney sidekicks and the culture-rich art direction (an amalgamation of several southeast Asian influences) is breathtaking. Awkwafina is the standout, providing the voice of the enthusiastic, rainbow-themed, re-awakened dragon. Spritely and sarcastic, she bounces her way through an appropriately wacky, joyful role that brings much-needed relief during the heavier scenes and an extra dash of heart elsewhere.
The story is deeply formulaic, though, and the primary plot arc is predictable enough to write in stone within the first twenty minutes. Good, and pretty, enough to merit a family watch, but not something I’ll need to revisit any time soon.
Meh. Visuals are ok, but it's very VERY simplistic.
Story is completely rushed, they just jump from one place to another, get the mystical pieces of the supposedly most guarded artifact like it's nothing then jump to the next one. It would have been so much more interesting to see the journey, the difference in how the several countries survived and their cultures.
Good point that there are surprisingly no songs, or there wouldn't be anything left for plot.
Despite being supposedly omnipresent, we barely see the evil spirits, until the plot calls for a final shodown.
The morale is more than dubious.
Try to trust people and bring peace between nations => they will betray you and destroy civilization as we know it
Now trust the same person again => they will betray you and destroy the only legendary hope left
But now you should really really trust that same person again and bet everything on it => yes that's good, that's what will save the world
WHAT. THE. FUCK.
The ending really highlight all the things that were just passed over.
There is absolutely no reason for everyone to come back to the first country. But assuming she manages to get everybody, convince them and travel all the way there with such a huge group of people, and... her father is still alone on the bridge like a moron, when he probably has been unstoned like 6 weeks ago. Also how come there are no people at all, and not even stoned ones in the whole country ?
Directors Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada, and more really poured their hearts out into this movie, and while there are some lingering issues still hanging in the final product, Raya and the Last Dragon brings the Walt Disney Animation Studio back on track after hitting the dirt with movies like Ralph Breaks the Internet and Frozen II. Would I call it the best-animated movie Disney has made in a long time? not necessarily. However, I was overall impressed by how Disney went to some pretty far lengths to make a movie that has difficult subject matter and a more serious tone compared to many other well-known Disney films. Did it all work? To some people not really, but in all honesty, I would much rather have a Disney film that’s still pretty good even if not anywhere near a masterpiece in the long run.
Full Review: https://www.jake-s-entertainment-reviews.com/movies-and-televison/raya-and-the-last-dragon-2021
8.5/10 - Great animation, beautiful visuals, and a very powerful ending.
Tbh I was hoping it would even be a little bit better but I'm not sure if that's fair to say as it already is really good!
Raya's by far the best character and almost as cool as Merida from Brave (IIRC; I have to rewatch that movie to be sure).
I think my only complaint is that the story seemed a little bit too unbelievable. I still cannot really forgive Namaari for almost betraying Raya for a third time. The first time was acceptable. She was still a child and it was her mother's plan. But the second time was definitely on her and then she even has the audacity to say Raya's equally guilty?!? It's good that Raya didn't kill her but I don't think I'd have the strenght to forgive Namaari and trust her again. It also seemed a bit too unbelievable that the tribes would reunite that quickly.
Raya's mission with her "friends" was awesome to watch - it's just the other people that changed their minds a bit too quickly.
Anyway, the ending was so heartwarming that I shed a few tears. Combined with the stunning visuals and really awesome soundtrack it was just so good!
if only we can solve world peace just like this
The movie feels a bit rushed. It presents to you this world with these factions and characters but it barely scratches the surface of any of it. It feels like it could have been a longer movie or a miniseries but at the same time it feels like they struggled filling the current runtime. The movie has too many jokes and most of them are miss rather than hit. It has a few moments where I was like "Ok, that was cool" but what surrounds those moments is not as good, like if they thought of these good story beats and just wrote anything to fill the gaps. Also, the movie is about "TRUST" and they are not subtle about it. You are gonna be constantly reminded that this movie's main theme is trust and it can get a little annoying.
Watching it was an ok time but I don't think I'll be revisiting it.
Me and the kids watched this movie, one of the latest works of Disney, the other evening. I am pleased to be able to write that we found it quite good actually.
It is always with some worry that I approach anything that comes from Disney these days given how their woke brigade have screwed things over lately. This movie however, seems to be more or less back to old and working recipes and free from (too much) woke nonsense. Maybe Disney execs have finally realized that letting the woke brigade, SJW’s and cancel culture have any say whatsoever in the creative processes hurts the bottom line.
It is a good adventure story surrounded by lots of colorful characters, great scenery and lovely animated creatures. Just how a animated Disney movie should be. Some, probably self proclaimed, culture elite called it a “mediocre and repetitive story”. That is just such a load of bullshit but unfortunately the stupid algorithms on IMDb’s website calls it a “top review” and puts it on the front page of the movie (which is why I noticed it). Given that the movie currently hold a 7.4 rating on IMDb, 81% on TMDb and even the usually useless Rotten Tomatoes gave it a rating well above 90% I’d say this bloke is a minority.
Raya herself was quite likable but her main adversary was rather bland in my opinion. However, the characters surrounding Raya was making up for this. I quite liked Boun, I definitely liked Tong and I just loved the baby and the three small rascals causing mischief everywhere they went.
The dragons where okay, Sisu was rather fun but they were all more like cuddly pets than real dragons with any real powers except for some parlor tricks. I did like the ending with all the Dragons being back though.
In good Disney tradition there were plenty of side characters and environmental gadgets etc… that threw in some additional laughs here and there.
As I wrote above, this was pretty much what would expect from Disney, the good Disney that we used to know that made fun movies for all ages.
Despite my fondness for Disney, I realize in retrospect that, for whatever reason, I really wasn't expecting all that much from this one. Just another dragon fantasy, or something, perhaps. But the humor saved it, as did the likability of the heroine, who was incredibly easy to root for. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by this one and enjoyed it quite a bit.
The weakest of all disney films. The best is a baby with 3 tamed monkeys. The worst part is the cheap predictive story.
feel good disney feelings. i cried a lot of happy tears, kind of like when i wept over zootopia. i'm almost 32 years old but my excuse is i'm a millennial and i was conditioned for this by the lion king, thank you and goodnight
I’m not crying, you're crying
Trust, it’s great fun and action. Like Milan, Brave and other action movies from Disney. And the dragon is super cool. Trust me, I will trust you.
The movie received a lot of good reviews but for me, it didn’t live up to the hype. It’s not that its a bad film but there was nothing about it that stood out for me. The fact that the dragon looked like the hormone monster from Big Mouth didn’t help either! I guess there are those who will be enchanted by the film but sadly, my heart remains cold. Sorry.
Reading the description I originally thought this is going be a boring remix of Asian cliches but it surprised me just how much heart it had, how absolutely phenomenal the animation was, and how great some of the characters and voice acting were, despite kinda being an Asian cliche remix. Absolutely loved Sisu and Boun!
Disney keep making original movies, you're not good with sequels (even if Frozen II was better than the first)
THE GOOD: ‘RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON’
WRITING: 5
ACTING: 8
PRODUCTION: 9
REPLAY VALUE: 6
ENJOYMENT: 8
THE GOOD:
Part Mulan (1998), part Brave (2012), Disney’s latest animated fantasy adventure is another fascinating take on an ancient made-up culture inspired by Asian society and legends. It takes the successful Disney animation formula and places it into a new setting, topped with strong female characters and a vividly animated environment.
Awkwafina is wonderful as Sisu. She brings so much character and soul into the dragon that she easily steals the show even when she’s not messing around and dropping funny lines.
Thalia Tran as Little Noi must be the cutest cinematic baby since Jack-Jack from The Incredibles (2004).
The plot is a simple but charming mission to save a realm from darkness and unite its different people. The warm relationship between Raya, Sisu and Tuk Tuk as well as the almost globe-trotting-like atmosphere and the varied locations make up for the lack of originality in the plot structure. The best part of the story is the redemption arc that is central to the climax as well as the choice not to depict the world and its characters as fully black-and-white.
I love the way the music mixes modern genres with more traditional Asian melodies and instrumentation, thus creating a fairly unique score that suits this film and its historical setting perfectly.
The supporting cast features several great performances from the likes of Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong and Sandra Oh.
The fight sequences are fast-paced and dynamic, yet easy to follow. They are a highlight of the movie in terms of their technical aspect.
THE BAD:
I prefer Sisu as a dragon, even if I understand the narrative reasons for having her appear as human from time to time. She loses some of her charms in human form.
The plot is as predictable as ever, which sadly turns out to be a minor problem when the main storyline remains the same one movie after the other.
THE UGLY:
Give me a Tuk Tuk and Little Noi spin-off right now!
THE VERDICT:
Gorgeously animated and with strong characters and a wonderfully adventurous tone, Raya and the Last Dragon is really just another animated Disney film, glossed over by strong production values.
72% = :white_check_mark: = GOOD
What’s not to love Disney and dragons and happy to sad to happy storyline :heart_eyes: unadulterated Disney pleasure
I thought this was better than I expected!! The animation was well done and I liked the characters and story! Not as good as Moana (in my opinion), but still worth a watch and rewatch!
A beautifully animated film. Sure, the story is quite simple and predictable, but it delivers a positive message about trust.
con baby ! only in china !
Beautiful animation and cool world, but the whole film felt like a dreamworks film in a bad way, redundant and weird side characters that aren’t as funny as intended and a predictable story.
An absolute gorgeous film. Brilliantly animated, beautifully voiced and just a nice story overall.
This film was very unique for a Disney film but I actually enjoyed it. Maybe I’ll enjoy it more a second time around. Worth a watch though.
Good interesting fairytale. But strong women everywhere are annoying from the begging of the movie.
A awesome animated movie with a simple plot.
The animation was great. Excellent character expressions and really engaging sets. The physics were less on point. Most of the scenes transition with only partial regard for what came before. Apparently its possible for round objects to roll uphill ... Who knew. Then there are weird continuity issues. Injured characters are suddenly OK for no reason. They walk with a limp for two seconds and then suddenly they are fine. Some of the characters train all their life to be expert fighters, but simultaneously preach non-violence and universal trust, err, OK totally makes sense? So what about the storyline you ask? Well, that is an unmitigated disaster. The message of the movie is "trust everyone all the time" with lead characters failing to learn from their mistakes. Choosing instead to continue with the same life ending choices hoping that eventually the bad guys will do the right thing. When it turns out that the bad guys actually have no choices left ... and they "do the right thing". It is not a moral choice, but a survival option. The movie teaches its audience that its fine to make stupid mistakes, since magic, random chance, luck and something whatever make-believe will make it all better. Sadly, the characters with the most integrity, and the most likeable are the baby and the 3 monkeys. At least they did not undergo a magical personality change before the credits rolled. Woke rubbish.
It was fun to watch!
Definitely loved it! Saw some comments about the story being too predictable but I do not care about this at all. I was really up to watching some light, funny, emotional animation movie and I sure got it :) Plus, Sisu had my heart from the first moment, she is HILARIOUS and, even though I found her a little innocent at times, it turned out to be her real strenght. LOL, I may be a little softened since I just finished waching it. It happens :)
Awkwafina's voice is CUTE! I just love it.
This movie is a lot of fun! It's absolutely gorgeous, and I think the world is built well. Although it's extremely predictable and the voice acting is a little weak in favor of a stacked cast, Raya is still very much enjoyable. If you're a fan of the found family trope and cookie cutter "this is the moral of the story" plots, Raya is definitely for you. I watched this movie with my Filipino grandma who only watches B-list romcoms, and she LOVED it. Also she was shocked every time I correctly predicted a plot point and accused me of already watching the movie, so that was a funny little ego boost for me.
Superbly beautiful animation! A timely message that is too simplistic to make a dent in the discord in our world. Worth seeing for the artistry of the animation alone but I’d wait until it’s in general release. It’s not worth the Disney+ Premium price. I give this film a 7 (good) out of 10. Caution: the penultimate moment of the drama might be a little overwhelming for the littlest ones of the family. [Animated Family Adventure]
Disney, please go hire some furry artist, they are tons of them on twitter. I don't want to see Elsa fursona ever again. The whole art of this movie is amazingly good but the dragon really ruin the whole vibe, like, why bruh
Where the Magic Happens, a good one
The movie was actually pretty good it has it's charm .
It is full of the chaotic cultural setting of the Western stereotypes of the East, plus the stupid plot of the Virgin Mary to the extreme, bad movies.
First, how come I saw absolutly no advertisement on this Disney movie ? I was even surprised a little when I saw the Disney opening.
Now, the story is pretty good in my opinion. I liked the world they built, the stories they told. I wish we had even more info about what happenend with the "last dragons", the brothers and sisters of Sisu. Raya was flawed, and she was a good main character to follow and see evolve. Didn't care much for the baby and big guy though unfortunately.
I was a bit taken aback by the animation at first. Everything but the people looked interesting and detailed, but I feel like the people looked a bit plastic-like sometimes (but the hair and the fight scenes looked amazing, so I don't know). Also, and that may be something of my own, but the dragons made me think a lot about a my little pony characters, and that took me out of the movie a few times (the slope of the nose, the nostrils, the shape of the eyes maybe ?). And I feel like the design of their head clashed with the rest of the environement.
Overall, I am surprised this movie isn't talked about. Good world-building, pretty landscapes, good story. And the music was gorgeous (especially at the end). I insist, big points for the world-building.
I have to admit I walked into this movie not expecting much and I was duly slapped in the face by how good it was, tugging heart strings, inspiring duty, selflessness, forgiveness and trust talk about character building. Loved it.
I wonder what the world would have been if Disney was not there. who are these ultra creative people?
Yet another beautifully made Disney film with a nice lesson about trust and selflessness.
Very good film, I enjoyed every minute Monke OP
This is another great animated Disney movie. Nice heartfelt story. Plenty of humor. Strong characters. Personally, I thought the baby and her monkeys kinda stole the show :)
How I rate:
1-3 :heart: = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 :heart: = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 :heart: = I expect you will like this too
9-10 :heart: = movies and TV shows I really love!
Disney killed it with Raya. It is a colorful, fantastical, action filled adventure that not only had my 3.5 year old enthralled, but also had me fully engaged throughout. As good as some kids movies can be, there's often some elements that hold it back from being something I'd watch on my own without the toddler in tow. This, however, I would have fully enjoyed on my own. Having Disney eat 30 of your dollars to watch it now might be steep, but at least it's a quality film for the entire family.
Shout by CinemanicBonkersBlockedParent2021-03-13T20:32:31Z
An another beautiful Disney movie with lots of heart, deep messages, magic and cool action also some fantastic graphics and yeah I teared up it's what makes us human. Trust can go far. I noticed a scene that was similar to a Guardians of the Galaxy scene from the first film.. Oh well you own it anyways.. I'm onto you disney ha