Disney's latest animation blockbuster takes us to the Far East with this mythical tale that is an absolute delight. It is bright, colourful and energetic, but what really impresses is the highly effective dynamic storytelling and complete word-building straight away in the opening scenes as young Raya becomes a Guardian of The Dragon Gem, unwittingly 'breaks the world' and then sets off on a quest to restore order by finding the last dragon in existence. The eclectic mix of unusual characters that Raya meets along the way provides a lot of fun, the central protagonist/antagonist pairing works well (reminiscent of the Frozen sisters), and the story structure that covers five very different kingdoms offers a diverse set of visual treats. Indeed, the animation and its use of shading and colour is gorgeous, and the voice cast is top notch, notably Kelly Marie Tran (terrific as Raya), Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Benedict Wong and Sandra Oh. The expected Disney themes of family, loss, the power of unity and friendship, self-belief and personal growth are all duly trotted out, but here they are given a contemporary feel that is very effectively allied with the powerful traditional mythical elements. Raya And The Last Dragon is a joyous, lively and very accomplished and enjoyable modern animated film indeed.
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