Raya & The Last Dragon: Why You Need To Watch It

Disney has constantly raised the bar for Animated films, which recent entries setting a new standard for what can be done on the silver screen in the animation department. Films such as ‘Wreck-it Ralph’, ‘Frozen’, ‘Big Hero 6’ and ‘Moana’ have set the screen alight, re-invigorating animation for the modern era. In 2021, they have done it again with ‘Raya & The Last Dragon’ a new animated film from the studio that focuses on a warrior named Raya who is on a quest to find the last dragon. With a fun premise and a likable cast of characters, ‘Raya & The Last Dragon’ was on my most anticipated list of the year and boy! Was I satisfied! Today I am going to break down why you need to check out ‘Raya & The Last Dragon’ when it releases on 4K UHD, Blu-Ray & DVD in May.

The Mythology – The film sets up a strong mythos surrounded by a unique and creative world. The film has an immersive world that is elevated by its deep mythos. I love the way the world feels lived in and alive. The realm of Kumandra a re-imagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization is quite spectacular. I am always a sucker for a fun, fantasy world and Raya & The Last Dragon’ delivers, with a well-established, unique mythology that stands out in the genre.

The Animation – it goes without saying that Disney’s animated films always look incredible, but with ‘Raya & The Last Dragon’, they have really outdone themselves. The film is filled with beautiful vistas and amazing scenery. The colours make the scenes really come alive, with photo-realistic backdrops and impressive character creations as well. The detail on Raya’s face is phenomenal, it makes her feel real, you can see every emotion she is feeling and it makes her endlessly relatable. Tuk Tuk’s design is fantastic as well, the design feels fresh and different, unlike other movie dragons that have come before.

The characters – Raya is one of the best Disney characters in recent memory. The emotional depth of her story is very well handled, with the balance between Raya and her dragon Tuk Tuk. Their relationship is well realised and provides an emotional core to the film. Dazzling visuals and fun mythology are great, but the crux of this story is Raya and the bond she shares with her steed, without these characters, the film would fall flat and feel hollow. It is the beauty of Disney.

Disney’s incredible filmography now has a new entry with 2021’s Raya & The Last Dragon. For the reasons listed above, this film has further cemented the studio in the history books as it is a thoughtful character piece with gorgeous animation and set pieces. Be sure to pick this one up when it releases in May here -  Pre-Order Raya & The Last Dragon

Christopher Pattison wrote this blog post for Sanity.

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