Disney has always been the entertainment studio with the power to inspire children and adults alike, making us reflect upon our reality through its mesmerising, fantastic realms. Its latest cinematic oeuvre, Raya and The Last Dragon, couldn’t come at a better time, to confront with hopeful fortitude the challenging times we are living. A year ago, when the outburst of Covid was revolutionising our “normal lives,” people worldwide shared the optimistic belief that these hardships would have been overcome within a reasonable amount of time. Today, we are still struggling to defeat the deadly virus, and the way it has bent economies and isolated all of us from our habitual social gatherings.
Raya and The Last Dragon seems drenched with subtext about the way the Coronageddon has affected human beings. The story is set in the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together in harmony. However, the tranquility that was given for granted was disrupted by sinister monsters known as Druun, that threatened the land: “A mindless plague that spread like wildfire, multiplying as they consumed life, and turned everyone they touched into stone.” Dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity, gathering their powers inside a precious gem. This should have been an inspirational moment, where humanity united over the dragons’ sacrifice. But instead, people all fought to possess the last remnant of dragon magic. As a consequence, borders were drawn and Kumandra was divided into 5 regions: Heart, Fang, Spine, Talon, Tail. Separatism ruled, as the lust for power blinds and breeds wars. Five hundred years later, people are still struggling to get hold of the gem, in the belief it will provide prosperity to their lands. In this context, we are introduced to Raya, Princess of Heart and a Guardian of the Dragon Gem, who will have to protect it against evil forces and against village leaders willing to do anything not to lose their power.
The film, written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim and directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada, is the story of a relentless and courageous female warrior willing to fulfil the dream that her father handed down to her: to bring Kumandra back to life, that peaceful place where all peoples lived in serenity and peace. The theme that resonates with today’s world is the urge to restore intersubjectivity and collaboration between countries. As nations are contending vaccine doses, Disney teaches us to let go of individualism and to join forces. The lost hope, resentment and anger that have built up throughout 2020, must not prevail. Raya and The Last Dragon encourages us to fight together for the common good and trust in one another other. Acknowledging how our fates are interdependent, is the only solution to rise from the ashes of Druun…or Covid. Only by teaming up humanity can defeat the forces of evil.
The film further marks a stepping stone in the way it glorifies the entire region of Southeast Asia, that has inspired the fictional realm of Kundra. In fact, the fairytale setting is a visually impressive melange of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Along with the engaging design, the dynamic animation is enriched by the captivating soundtrack composed by James Newton Howard, and a remarkable voice cast, that features Kelly Marie Tran (Raya), Awkwafina (Sisu), Izaac Wang (Boun), Gemma Chan (Namaari), Daniel Day Kim (Benja), Benedict Wong (Tong), Jona Xiao (Young Namaari), Sandra Oh (Virana), Thalia Tran (Little Not), Lucille Soong (Dang Hu), Alan Tudyk (Tuk Tuk).
But the film, doesn’t celebrate the Eastern hemisphere alone, it somehow becomes a stupendous crossover between West and East, for its universal themes and characters. This is ultimately epitomised by the creature that acts as Deus Ex Machina, triggering the pacification amongst people: the dragon. The legendary serpentine belongs to the folklore of both the Orient and the Occident. From the Christian legend of Saint George, to Egyptian mythology, from the emblem on the Welsh flag to the highest-ranking creature in the Chinese animal hierarchy, the dragon is a creature that has permeated in all cultures throughout the course of history. Whether Christianity associated it with evil or East Asian culture would see it as a symbol of power, strength, and good luck; the dragon, worldwide, relates to the dynamic powers of the universe.
Sisu, in the film, is the last surviving dragon. She is naive and hopeful and thus becomes the emblem of political reconciliation in a broken world. She will bequeath a life lesson, not only to Raya and the other characters of this cinematic adventure, but to all spectators who have experienced pandemic loss and are struggling to overcome the bitterness inflicted by this historical moment. Thus, Disney’s latest film is a poetic tale about how sense of community can be the greatest healing power of all.
As movie theatres remain closed for the pandemic, Raya and The Last Dragon, will be available from March 5, 2021, on Disney+.
Final Grade: B+