The dragon promotes the idea of trusting others, but Raya has a bit of history with the princess of the Fang lands, Namaari (“Crazy Rich Asians’” Gemma Chan), who is every bit her equal in battle. It’s a lot to digest, including the dragon of the title, Sisu, voiced with Eddie Murphy-in-“Mulan”-like energy by Awkwafina. But those plans go awry, leaving a dystopian landscape that forces Raya to travel to each of the various lands – wary as they are of each other – to reunite the gem and restore harmony to their fractious world. Raya’s father (Daniel Dae Kim) remained in possession of a gem that held the last vestiges of the dragons’ magic, and dreamed of reuniting the kingdom. She lays out the story in an opening narration, in which dragons fought off a threat 500 years earlier to the mythical kingdom of Kumandra, which subsequently split into five distinct lands. Representing Disney animation’s first Southeast Asian heroine, the Raya of the title (pronounced “Rye-uh”) is as much a warrior as a princess, happily, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran of the recent “Star Wars” movies. Yet the adults who join them might find something deeper in the themes, in a film that’s otherwise colorful, action-packed, and more than a little convoluted in setting up its premise. Reading too much political subtext into this movie – which hits theaters in addition to Disney+, like “Mulan,” at a premium fee – won’t be a problem for the kids watching it. The deeper message, however, involves the toll that division and distrust inflicts on a mythical kingdom, which gives the otherwise pretty-good movie a rather timely hook. The latest Disney animated adventure can be seen two ways: “Raya and the Last Dragon” offers another bold female lead from an underrepresented group and cute (in one case magical) sidekicks, embarking on a stirring quest.
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