Raya and the Last Dragon

RATING: B-

For a little over a decade, Disney animated features have generally been able to split into two camps. There's the ones starring a Disney Princess that, while they can certainly appeal to anybody and do, are generally marketed toward younger girls (regardless of whether that's actually an accurate reflection of the movie or not). Examples include Tangled and both Frozen movies. Then there's the more adventure-oriented ones, like Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, or Zootopia--features that could be mistaken for Pixar work, and where the opposite of the previously mentioned target audience trope may apply. 

Raya and the Last Dragon is the rare Disney feature (at least these days) that attempts to split the difference and market itself to both camps. It's more oriented in the realm of fantasy/adventure, but it also has a heroine for a protagonist--who's technically a princess, but that word is never really said out loud and she hasn't been included in the "Princess" marketing lineups. She's more of a warrior type anyway. The result of all this is basically what you'd get if you crossed Mulan and Avatar: The Last Airbender together. 

Raya and the Last Dragon has an interesting enough setting and backdrop. Basically, the people of this fantasy version of Asia used to live together alongside dragons (not the angry fire-breathing kind--in fact, these almost look more Luck Dragons from the Neverending Story, minus the dog ears). Unfortunately, the world is also under attack by a force called the Druun which turns people *and* dragons to stone. The last living dragon banished them with the help of a magic gem, but vanished and the rest of the dragons never returned. And now the world is divided in a power struggle for the gem--and eventually the Druun return (for semi-spoilerific reasons), forcing Raya to try and find the mythical "Last Dragon" in hopes of saving the world. 

It's less complicated than it might sound. In fact, this movie actually does a pretty good job of world-building in a relatively short amount of time. The problems don't lie in the movie's setting or plot, even if the latter is a tad derivative at times. Nor does it lie in the protagonist, who is an effectively likable character but also driven cynical and world-weary by the divisions. The problems lie elsewhere. 

Let's start with the movie's message, which is not very subtle. It's a very unity-based one, which leans heavily on the concept of trusting in order to get there. While this is not bad in of itself and even arguably quite timely, the problem is in the execution. The movie--and Sisu, the "Last Dragon"--tell us these things about trust often, but the movie also gives us plenty of reasons to do the opposite. By the time we get to the final act and the inevitable eventually occurs, it does not feel earned. 

Then there's the issue of the Druun. They're the real enemy here, but what are they? As we see them, they're basically giant dark purple clouds. The movie doesn't seem very interested in explaining properly what they are or their origins. Are they an evil force? Something created by mankind? Or are they just a literal metaphor? Sisu gives a brief monologue at some point, and the best we get is that they're "the opposite of dragons," which in this universe, are positively benevolent. While the effects of the Druun are effectively enough to set some tension, it's hard to "love to hate" a villainous force when it's basically just menacing clouds that you're not even really sure what they are. 

Finally, there's Sisu, the Last Dragon. For a mythical creature that's supposed to save everyone, she's a bit underwhelming--coming off as more goofy and awkward at times. This is done deliberately, but why? The movie can't decide whether to portray her as an awe-inspiring force of good, or simple comic relief--two things Disney normally doesn't have problems separating properly. This allows Sisu to play into the movie's quite anachronistic modern late-2010's banter, which is funny at times but also a little overdone. ("Bling is my thing," for example, is something that is actually said in this movie.) 

Despite these various issues, it's not like there's nothing to be enjoyed here. As mentioned earlier, the backdrop and story are interesting enough. There's also some exciting melee combat sequences, as well as some martial arts. The animation is also quite astounding, bringing the environments to life beautifully. The side characters that join Raya on her quest are memorable as well. The movie certainly isn't boring either. 

Raya and the Last Dragon is a flawed but ultimately still enjoyable feature from Disney. Nothing to necessarily write home about, but hardly a waste of time either. Whatever the issues, there's enough of a sense of adventure and fun here as well as enough likable characters that it still makes for an entertaining time. Just don't go into it expecting a classic.