‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ is Disney’s valiant attempt at a fantasy adventure

Posted on March 12, 2021

BY MARK VIOLA

Back in 2010, Disney embraced computer animation, releasing the excellent “Tangled,” and followed that film with a string of really successful, inventive movies, including “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Frozen,” “Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia,” “Moana,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Frozen II.”

I’m probably in the minority here, but “Frozen” and its sequel are probably my least favorite of the bunch. I did not realize it until doing a bit of research for this review, but apparently neither Elsa nor Anna are considered official Disney princesses. I guess that makes sense because at the end of the sequel (spoiler warning!) Anna is a queen and Elsa is some kind of nature spirit or something.

Anyway, I mention that only because the title character of Disney’s newest animated film, “Raya and the Last Dragon,” is a “princess-in-waiting” apparently. (I honestly never knew these things were so official.)

More importantly, the new movie continues Disney’s now decade-long run of telling imaginative stories that feature compelling characters living in interesting worlds. Much more of an action adventure than most of Disney’s films, the story is set in a fictional fantasy world filled with warring nations along with legends of dragons and better times.

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