Since its inception, the Walt Disney Animation Studio has followed a pattern of highs and lows, ebbs and flows, and an oscillation between guaranteed success and unrestrained experimentation. Audiences are hyper-familiar with the classic musicals that initiated the company’s success (Snow White, Cinderella, etc.), but they may be more confused when somebody references the films in the proceeding “dark period” (Oliver and Company, The Black Cauldron, etc.). This pattern persisted into the future when the Golden Age of Walt Disney Animation (featuring classics like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast) was suddenly interrupted by a shift towards more experimental, adventure-fantasy films (Tarzan, Hunchback of Notre Dame, etc.), only to later return to the quasi-broadway productions that brought the company back from commercial failure (starting with Princess and the Frog and continuing into the present).
Perhaps during one decade, the production house favors the clear-cut, guaranteed successes that emphasize approachable narratives and commercially friendly soundtracks. Readers may recall the pandemonium that followed Frozen, and the “more-seasoned” crowd might recall the popularity of The Lion King in the cultural zeitgeist. However, after a line of success, the studio may become interested in flexing their creative muscles, using the public favor gained to experiment more generally within the artform. Despite their relative commercial failure, films like The Black Cauldron and Hunchback of Notre Dame were passion projects by the animators and crew. It seems that, if given the opportunity, creators at WDAS are inclined to break free of the commercial limitations to tell stories that reflect their love of the medium.
It may be too early to tell, but Raya and the Last Dragon at least feels like a potential subversion of the recent formula, and a step towards the studio’s more experimental tendencies.
A Tail of Mythic Proportions
Following the titular character, Raya on her journey throughout a land joined by the mysticism of dragons, the film delivers on what many had anticipated from the firstFrozen II teaser trailer, delivering on an action-adventure Disney film made for the modern audiences. Director of Moana Don Hall joins forces with Blindspotting and music video director Carlos López Estrada to deliver what might be the most experimental film released by the studio in the last decade. Audiences may be initially put off by the serious tone at the onset (as they likely were in the 90s/2000s), but the film preserves enough of the recent Disney hallmarks such that it provides as a beginner film in serious animation.
Raya and the Last Dragon explicitly defines its moral at the onset, openly reflecting the modern era’s political climate. This messaging isn’t particularly subtle, as the film constantly explores the concepts of unity and choosing to trust those you’ve been socially conditioned to despise, but it is a rather commendable effort for a Disney film. Exploring dynamic and progressive themes in a film aimed towards children is bound to ruffle a few feathers, but audiences should appreciate the first Disney film to explore complex themes in recent years.
In the beginning, we’re introduced to five tribes located along a dragon river, each claiming a portion of the natural beast as their own. The Fang, Heart, Tail, Spine, and Talon tribes are in a state of perpetual mistrust after a deadly battle between the dragons of Kumandra and a plague called “The Druun.” To combat this enemy (resembling a veiny portal that turns victims into stone), the land’s dragons sacrifice themselves to create a glowing orb but had inadvertently sparked the flame to a greater conflict. Since the disappearance of the dragons and the Druun, the tribes have turned against one another as each seeks possession of the treasured orb.
Raya, as the daughter of Heart’s chief mistakenly invites Namaari, the daughter of the Fang chief, to the secret hiding place of the orb during an attempt at extended peace between tribes. Despite trusting Namaari to keep the location a secret, she betrays Raya and reveals the location to the rest of the world. Doing so sparks conflict between tribes resulting in the destruction of the orb into five pieces, the return of the Druun, and damning much of the world to an eternity in stone including Raya’s father, who instills in Raya a hope for reunification.
To bring back her father eliminate the Druun, Raya must travel the varied lands of Kumandra, seek out the remaining pieces of the orb, and find the fabled last dragon Sisu, whose mysticism and fabled origin have the potential to reunify a broken world.
Soaring Highs
One of the first things audiences will notice when watching Raya is the stunning leap made in visual animation within the last decade. Starting with Moana, Disney Animation has made a headstrong effort towards hyper-realistic animation. No matter the quality of their recent films, it is undeniable that the production house has one of the firmest grasps on animation as a medium. The impressive ability to ride the grey area between abstraction and realism must be commended, and the risk of approaching the uncanny valley pays off quite well.
Perhaps it’s the blend of fantastical characters and realistic locales that avoids the potential displeasure. Audiences are quick to notice when humans look unrealistic, but as evident by Avatar and other CGI powerhouses, we fall rather blindly into settings generated exclusively for the screen. The world of Kumandra is detailed to perfection, whereas the inhabitants retain the traditional build and design of contemporary 3D Disney characters. The uncanny valley is narrowly avoided by respecting the untamed and free nature of unrestrained animation.
Similar to Pixar’s latest venture Soul, Disney isn’t afraid to approach more experimental forms of animated storytelling. Many of the pre-history flashbacks in the film are stylized like traditional shadow puppetry, and when characters are planning for a future event, the visuals morph into cell-shaded and colorful bursts of creativity that contrast the film’s more traditional moments. Moments of quiet (something rare in the hyper-active Disney films) are also greatly appreciated, including a particularly solemn passage through the Dragon Graveyard midway into the film. The expected childishness of the Disney brand fades away for just a moment, and the audience is left with a rare moment of introspection.
Additionally, I was pleasantly surprised to see how the camera behaved during fight sequences. A physical camera is rather rare in animation, which made close-quarters-combat encounters feel more personal when the framing would whip from subject to subject. Suddenly, the audience isn’t looking into the world from a distant window but from the sidelines, engaging directly with the action on the screen. Other moments pull audiences away from the physical space but do so to heighten the tension on-screen (e.g. when the screen splits down the middle during a conversation, capturing the facial expressions of both parties). None of this is particularly groundbreaking, action films have been doing this for decades, but a moment of inspiration outside of the Disney bubble makes for an unexpected (and refreshing) experience.
At its best, Raya is a stylistically solid and experimental action movie that, while not breaking any ground of its own, introduces a level of complexity not seen in recent Disney films. At its worst, however, Raya is an unambitious, meandering, and underbaked story in desperate need of trimming.
Dragon Along
One of my primary gripes with the movie involves the supporting cast who, while interesting from a distance, rarely receive any characterization aside from small introductions. Raya and Sisu develop strong chemistry throughout the film, but the side characters they pick up along the way rest solely on the foundation of their introduction. For example, the fisher/salesman Boun is introduced quite well when they need to borrow his boat, but in subsequent scenes, he exists to fill background space. He is introduced as the childish traveler alone in the world but full of charm, and he finishes the film without any additional exploration into this characterization. This criticism can be extended to the rest of the side cast as well.
These additional characters capture your attention at their introduction, yet they aren’t given any time to hold it. I was particularly interested in the arc of a later introduction named Tong, but aside from the scene he’s introduced in, we get little to none in terms of additional characterization. Instead of exploring these backgrounds, the film simply introduces another character which could have been alleviated with flashbacks to the moment of Druun invasion for each “lead.” The final product has much of the cast’s potential fades into irrelevance.
This is a shame! The performances (especially Awkwafina as Sisu and the wonderful Kelly Marie Tran as Raya) are solid across the board despite having very little time to flourish. Raya has the unique opportunity at characterization during the film’s prologue, but the remaining cast (including the titular last dragon Sisu) enters the narrative with little friction. Perhaps this is a result of the main focus being the conflict between Raya and Namaari, but this begs the question as to why a supporting cast was necessary for a film where the attention is directed elsewhere.
Raya and the Last Dragon could have benefitted from a rewrite or two, trimming the fat and placing the main focus on the central characters. The side cast is interesting on their own, but they only serve to slow dowing the pacing of the film. Introducing a character every ten minutes (in fact, up until the climax) creates stagnancy in what should be a dynamic plotline. The locales are changing, and the stakes are rising, so why are we spending another ten minutes introducing another character?
Perhaps the film’s goal was to explore the various ways mistrust and division affect our lives. Then, each of these side characters exhibits the drive for retribution one feels in the face of loss. If this was the case, the film needed to make a decision. Do they want to tell a story featuring five equally important main characters with complex backstories, or do they want to leave a few to the back-burner while placing a heavier focus on a couple of leads? In its current state, the film chooses neither.
Raya’s beginning, climax, and ending are all justified and genuinely interesting. The characters (at face value) exhibit complexity not seen in the company’s recent titles and the themes are upfront in their morality. It is in the middle that the film stumbles the most, as the jarring method of character introduction fails to provide narrative momentum.
Verdict
Despite these shortcomings, Raya and the Last Dragon is a family film with undeniable heart and soul. Equally, as engaging as it is contemplative, Raya takes the formulaic “Disney” approach and explores new methods of storytelling from within this confined space. There may not be any marketable tracks, and I question the plushie-potential of characters like Tuk Tuk (played by Alan Tudyk), but such a subversion of audience expectations could be a brilliant way to sneak solid storytelling into the homes of traditional audiences.
I must make a small caveat to my recommendation, however. At this point in time, audiences can experience this film on select theatrical screens or in the comfort of their home on Disney+. I strongly discourage visiting a theater under current global conditions, but I also find myself unable to advise even the most curious fan to pay the asking price for Disney’s Premier Access. From now until June 4 (when the film joins the Disney+ library), the film is locked behind an exorbitant paywall of $30, which I feel is far outside of this film’s worth.
If you have children and are looking for a fun diversion from global angst and anxiety, I suppose $30 for the film and $10 for a pizza isn’t a bad way to spend a night. However, to anybody looking to watch this alone (or with a group older than 10), the best choice is to wait until June 4th. Despite thoroughly enjoying this film, I cannot in good conscience recommend spending $30 on a movie that isn’t a “must-see.” It’s good! But not $30 good. No way.
That being said, I quite enjoyed Raya! It may have been predictable (as to be expected), but my craving for a more serious, cinematic Disney film has been satiated for the time being. Hopefully, Disney follows up on this success and continues to deliver projects focused on passion over profit.
Score: 8/10
Ryan Dorman is a Columnist and the Content Director for the Boardwalk Times. He can be found on Twitter at @OpentheDorman.
