Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, those same monsters have returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the last dragon in order to finally stop the Druun for good. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than dragon magic to save the world—it’s going to take trust as well. From directors Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada, co-directors Paul Briggs and John Ripa, producers Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho, the film features the voices of Kelly Marie Tran as Raya and Awkwafina as Sisu.
For in-depth thoughts on Raya and the Last Dragon, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Raya and the Last Dragon comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a stunning and vibrant 2160p HDR transfer. The colors present in this transfer are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating every inch of the frame. The textures, from the character designs to the environments, are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth. One of the areas where this film excels is the fluidity of the character designs. All of the individual strands of hair are unique and flowing in a subtly natural way. The level of detail these animators put into each environment shines through here. Black levels are incredibly strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. To say this is anything but perfection would be a grave misrepresentation of the quality.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray utilizes a Dolby Atmos track that gives this lively film a real vitality. There is an emphasis on the front channels for a good portion of the sounds, but activity kicks in to the surrounds and rears during the more kinetic and action-oriented bits. The film really satisfies when it comes to the music, and this track pumps the sound straight through your body in a really satisfying, enveloping way. The fantastic score from James Newton Howard is a real crowd pleaser. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting lost amongst the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer give certain moments that much-needed extra weight to completely sell it for the audience. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered appropriately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. Raya and the Last Dragon will have your house rocking and shaking in the best way.
Special Features
- An Introduction to Us Again: A minute-long piece in which director Zach Parrish discusses his reason for creating this included short film and his inspiration for the dance style of the characters.
- Us Again: A seven-minute “fountain of youth” story in which an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife rekindle their passion for life on one magical night. This is a really joyous piece that should be considered a front-runner for the Oscars next year.
- Taste of Raya: A 22-minute featurette in which Kelly Marie Tran holds a virtual dinner with the film’s creative team over a Southeast Asian menu inspired by the countries that influenced the film as they discuss their experiences creating the world of Kumandra. There are some interesting thoughts about the role food has in the film, the inspiration for the film, the visual aesthetic, the importance of representation, the geology of the lands and more. The collaborative nature is a fun way to present this information.
- Raya – Bringing it Home: A nearly 15-minute featurette in which the creative team discuss having to bring the creation of Raya and the Last Dragon home during a global pandemic. It is impressive to see the massive obstacles they had to overcome to make this film a reality.
- Martial Artists: A six-minute featurette which takes a look at the various martial art forms and weapons used in the film as co-screenwriter Qui Nguyen and visual anthropologist Dr. S. Steve Arounsack share the inspiration behind the film’s action-packed elements. The most interesting part is seeing the fight choreographer acting out the moves in the film during quarantine with her baby in a stroller in the background.
- We are Kumandra: A nine-minute piece in which members of the Southeast Asia Story Trust discuss the cultural influences that inspired the film and how important this representation in a Disney animated film is to the people of the region. The importance of getting all of the individual elements of the film correct is apparent.
- Outtakes: A two-and-a-half-minute look at the experiences of the voice cast recording from home with occasionally shaky internet connections. To see that they had to contend with unexpected visits from pets, chirping from birds outside, delayed connections and more, you appreciate what they were able to pull off even more.
- Fun Facts & Easter Eggs: A four-minute look at some of the hidden surprises and behind-the-scenes secrets of the film including tidbits about the fighting sequences, cameos from other Disney properties, culturally relevant facts about the food and more.
- The Story Behind the Storyboard with John Ripa: A five-minute conversation with Co-Director John Ripa which gives you an inside look at his thought process as he pitches a storyboard sequence from the film and talks about his career with Disney Animation.
- Deleted Scenes: Head of Story Fawn Veerasunthorn takes you through five scenes totaling nineteen minutes of unused material from the film. In these unfinished sequences, Raya confronts the Druun, we get an early introduction to Namaari, we see a sequence in which Raya’s sword had magical powers and more. These are all quite interesting and worth checking out if you are a fan.
Final Thoughts
Raya and the Last Dragon is the perfect Disney film for the moment. Not only does it get recognition for the diversity of the story and production, but it is simply a magical film in which you can lose yourself. The voice cast are wonderful in their roles and the animation team behind this project have really outdone themselves. Disney has given the film a 4K UHD Blu-Ray that will knock your socks off from an A/V point of view, and the special features are pretty terrific, as well. The Walt Disney Animation Studio films have been catching up with Pixar for a while, and this feature is another impressive entry to put in their column. Highly Recommended
Raya and the Last Dragon will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray and DVD on May 18, 2021. The film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
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