“Raya and the Last Dragon” is a big, bright adventure about trust, memory and the weight of history. It’s the latest from Disney Animation, and it lands somewhere between Pixar’s careful storytelling and the studio’s older, louder fare. The movie wants to teach a lesson while also giving audiences a dragon to ride, and mostly it manages both.
Trailer, via Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Kumandra’s Five Regions
The film opens in the kingdom of Kumandra, a land split into five warring regions. Long ago, a powerful stone dragon protected the people from a terrible evil called the Nok. Now the dragon is gone, and the kingdom has shattered into pieces. Raya, a young warrior from the region of Heart, sets out on a quest to find the last surviving dragon and restore peace to her fractured homeland.
The setup is simple. The execution is not. Director Don Hall and co-director Carlos López Estrada build a world that feels lived-in, with distinct cultures, customs and conflicts. The animation is sharp, the action sequences are fast and fluid, and the voice cast sells the emotional beats. Kelly Marie Tran voices Raya, and she brings a grounded toughness to the character that grounds the fantasy elements.
The Voice Cast
Tran is joined by Awkwafina as Sisu, the last dragon. Sisu is a talking cat who can transform into a winged beast, and Awkwafina’s energy carries scenes that could have tipped into camp. Alan Tudyk plays Fang, a con artist who becomes Raya’s reluctant sidekick. His patter is funny, and he provides some of the film’s best comic relief. Gemma Chan voices Benzo, a young boy who joins the journey, and Sandra Oh voices his aunt, the head of the region of Heart. The performances are uniformly strong, and the ensemble chemistry holds together even when the plot grows crowded.
The Villain’s Plan
The story follows a familiar path. Raya travels through each of the five regions, facing local leaders and solving puzzles along the way. Each region offers a different challenge, and each leader represents a different attitude toward the past. Some want revenge. Some want safety. Some want change. Raya must convince them to put aside their differences and work together.
The pacing stumbles in the middle stretch. Some scenes feel padded, and the journey between regions drags slightly. But the film picks up momentum again when the stakes shift. The villain, Dru, seeks to control the ancient stone dragon’s power. The final act delivers a satisfying confrontation, and the message about trust feels earned rather than preached.
Trust and Memory
At its core, “Raya and the Last Dragon” is a story about memory and forgetting. The people of Kumandra have lost touch with each other over generations of conflict. The film argues that holding onto grudges and old wounds keeps everyone trapped in a cycle of violence. Forgiveness and cooperation are the keys to breaking free.
That’s a heavy theme for a children’s film, and the movie handles it with care. The message is delivered through action rather than lecture. Raya learns to trust others, and the audience watches her grow, not hear her recite a moral. It’s a smart approach, and it pays off in the final scenes.
The Look and Sound
The animation is the film’s strongest asset. The environments are lush and detailed, from the dense forests of Fang’s hideout to the sun-baked plains of the desert region. The dragons themselves are rendered with impressive texture, and their movements feel alive. The water effects are particularly striking, especially during a sequence involving a flooded village.
The music, composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, supports the tone without overwhelming it. The songs are pleasant but forgettable. They serve the story rather than steal focus, which is the right call. The voice work is consistently excellent, and the sound design keeps the action clear even in busy, multi-character scenes.
A Tight Pace
The film moves quickly from setup to payoff, with the middle region scenes providing necessary character development before the climax arrives. The running order shows a steady progression from opening narration through the final confrontation and epilogue.
| Scene | Time |
|---|---|
| Opening narration | 0:00 |
| Raya’s village attack | 0:07 |
| Meeting Sisu | 0:15 |
| Journey to Fang’s hideout | 0:22 |
| Desert region | 0:30 |
| Final confrontation | 0:45 |
| Epilogue | 0:50 |
The Score
The film’s score sits at 7.4 out of 10.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” isn’t a perfect film, but it’s a solid one. The story drags in the middle, and some of the supporting characters don’t get enough room to breathe. But the central relationship between Raya and Sisu, and the message about letting go of the past, lands with real force. The animation is gorgeous, the voice acting is superb, and the final act delivers on the promise of the setup.
It’s a movie that respects its young audience without talking down to them. It asks them to think about forgiveness, memory and community, and it does so through a thrilling, beautifully made adventure. That balance is rare, and it’s why the film succeeds despite its flaws.
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