The titular character of DisneyвЂ™s newest animated film, вЂњRaya and the Last Dragon,вЂќ not to mention DisneyвЂ™s first Southeast Asian princess (voiced by Vietnamese-American actress Kelly Marie Tran). While some of the beats might be a little too predictable and while the emotional wallop at the end might be more of a gentle tap, Raya and the Last Dragon works for the most part, a charming, sweet-natured YA-leaning adventure that acts as proof that Disney needs to focus on moving forward rather than continuing to look back.SheвЂ™s a warrior who wears a Filipino-style salakot on her head, sporting a curved sword shaped like an Indonesian Kris, whoвЂ™s on a journey to restore peace in the dragon-shaped, fantastical world of Kumandra. That might sound on paper a little too earnest but itвЂ™s handled with a light touch.ДЄs with any form of quest narrative, thereвЂ™s a familiar formula at play and as with any, especially latter-day, Disney animation, thereвЂ™s a lurch toward the heartstrings in the finale.

Lim and Nguyen manage to infuse this message without it ever feeling preachy, in the same way that Inside Out could be used as a way of explaining mental health or Coco for death to a young viewer, thereвЂ™s similar, if less potent, worth here with its view of politics. The script, from the Crazy Rich Asians screenwriter Adele Lim and playwright Qui Nguyen, like many Disney films, aims to offer some simple life lessons along with the adventure, urging unity over division and hope over fear, an interestingly timed plea as the US leaves the darkness of one presidency and aims to repair the wounds itвЂ™s deepened. The design of the Druun is particularly effective, a horrifyingly undefined maelstrom of chaos, turning everything into stone, although IвЂ™d argue that the design of the dragons feels a little cheap in comparison to everything else, with Sisu looking a little too My Little Pony-adjacent to feel part of the awe-inspiring world around her. ItвЂ™s a stunningly intricate and immersive world and as Raya travels from clan to clan, directors Don Hall and Carlos LГіpez Estrada create unpredictable new elements for her to encounter, making it one of the most visually escapist Disney films for a good while. TranвЂ™s steeliness is well-matched with AwkwafinaвЂ™s brand of goofy comedy (sheвЂ™s so well-suited to voice work that it makes sense sheвЂ™ll be voicing a seagull in DisneyвЂ™s upcoming Little Mermaid) and their buddy comedy back-and-forth is funny without bordering on the вЂњthis oneвЂ™s for the adultsвЂќ smugness that can often seep into post-Shrek animation. Raya is not only the driving force behind the action-led plot but sheвЂ™s also without a love interest, focused on her family, her mission and her burgeoning friendship with Sisu. ItвЂ™s an unfortunate misstep in what is otherwise another much-needed attempt at progress not just with its diverse cast and characters but also its positioning of a female lead. Set in a fictionalised version of south-east Asia, the accompanying voice cast is made up almost entirely of actors of Asian descent (from Sandra Oh to Gemma Chan to Daniel Dae Kim) although there was some understandable frustration recently when people discovered that the actors are predominantly of east Asian heritage, a sign that for some at Disney, Asia is all the same.

After an attempt at peace ends in tragedy, years later as a teen, Raya finds herself on a dangerous quest to bring everyone together with the help of the last dragon Sisu (Awkwafina). ItвЂ™s the story of Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), a young girl who lives in the fragmented world of Kumandra, split into different warring clans after the evil Druun led to the sacrifice of the dragons they had all once lived peacefully alongside. ItвЂ™s another victim of the pandemic, premiering in cinemas where possible but also on Disney+ with a lofty $30 price tag, a shame given the filmвЂ™s lush visuals as well as its ability to prove that yet again, duh, diversity sells as its box office would have surely been substantial with enthused word of mouth propelling it long past opening weekend.

The release of Raya and the Last Dragon is in no way going to reshape that broader view (Disney is after all a cold capitalist corporation) but it does serve as a reminder of the studio doing what it does best: transporting us to a beautifully crafted universe to tell a story thatвЂ™s both involving and, vitally, fresh.

The last dragon