As I watched “Raya and the Last Dragon” for the first time, it felt like an escape from the real world. Disney’s latest princess, Raya, is a humorous, free-spirited and fierce lady with a pinch of relatable awkwardness. The movie is so colorful and joyous that even the extreme tribulations faced by the characters only seem like small bumps in the road that can be easily overcome.
Raya is a warrior from the mystical land of Kumandra who is on a journey to find Sisu, the last living dragon, who appears more like a fun-loving unicorn as opposed to the usual scaly, fire-breathing animal that comes to mind. This dragon is voiced by the comedic Awkwafina, known in the industry for her humorous personality.
Raya must travel to bring harmony among the clans of her nation. Raya is voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, whose tone emits instant benevolence, perfectly embodying the mix of sweetness, adventure and internal conflict that makes up this character.
Undeniably, there is a special spotlight on the cultural representation that “Raya and The Last Dragon” offers; the Southeast Asian audience and culture that has been neglected by Disney for so long is suddenly the central influence of this new film. However, the directors of the movie seemed to be more concerned with shaping it to fit within the typical new-age Disney princess style rather than making it unique. None of them sat around waiting for a prince to rescue them, which played a part in portraying them as stronger, more independent women than the older princesses. However, the notion of “breaking the stereotype” has become the stereotype itself, and it comfortably seats Raya among princesses like Elsa, Moana and Merida.
One major break from the Disney princess code is that no one in this film ever broke out into a song beyond the ritual chant. Even though it was an adventure narrative, filled with booby traps, temple ruins and ancient gems that unlock sacred powers, there are no musical moments. Compared to the prior princess movies, it felt palpable and intense rather than lighthearted and filled with song.
When Raya fights, it showcases aspects of various traditional Asian martial arts styles. The sword she carries with her is the double-edged kalis, which actually has its origins in the Philippines. Although it is honorable that Disney is displaying a new region through a princess’ story, they often confuse care and carelessness in regard to cultural correctness. Throughout the film, there were numerous moments of ethnic disorientation due to the involvement of items, language, attire and other aspects of different Asian regions. As a matter of fact, most of the voice cast is from East Asia, which is puzzling for a story that is supposed to have taken place in a Southeast Asian setting.
Despite these challenges, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is enchantingly captivating. One of my favorite things in this movie was actually the CGI, which was fantastic. The fluidity with which each character moved was mesmerizing. The personalities of each character were also extremely well-developed.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” is a playful film that ultimately follows the skeleton of the newer Disney princess movies we have all grown to love.
Raya and the Last Dragon is currently showing in theaters and is also available for streaming on Disney Plus.
