Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

"Raya and the Last Dragon" is an ambitious family film for all ages that blends images and mythology from numerous Southeast Asian civilizations into its own vision. It never talks down to its viewers while presenting them with an enjoyable, thought-provoking story. It also features some of Disney's most breathtaking graphics to date, immersing its characters in a world that is both familiar and unfamiliar.

Raya has long heard her father Benja tell stories about the final dragon. When an evil power began turning people into stone across the land, magical dragons banded together to form a stone, which one named Sisu utilized to avert the impending apocalypse. Despite rumors to the contrary, she sacrificed herself in the process. When the film opens, the stone is with Benja and Raya's people, but it is stolen, broken up, and scattered over the land by the other clans of the now-divided planet.

Years later, Raya embarks on a quest to locate both Sisu and the stone fragments in order to reunite her people and fulfill her father's goal of loyalty. They are pursued by Namaari, a princess of a clan wanting full authority, and meet several noteworthy supporting characters along the road, including the jovial Boun, one-eyed Tong, and even a "con baby," a child who utilizes her irresistible charm as an alley con artist. The stone's fracture had an effect on all of these vibrant people, and they make an unforgettable core in what is really an old-fashioned adventure film that recalls everything from Indiana Jones to "Princess Mononoke."

Directors: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Paul Briggs, John Ripa

IMDb user rating: 7.4

Votes: 114,000

Metascore: 75

Runtime: 107 minutes