PG.

Dir: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, US, 2021, 107 min.

Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan.

“Disney’s latest offering casts Star Wars’ Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of its south-east Asian princess protagonist, the sword-wielding Raya. Her mission is to unite all five pieces of a broken gem containing dragon magic, as well as the fictional Kumandra’s divided regions, in order to defeat a swirling purple plague called the Druun. There is an incandescence and a buoyancy to the animation that elevates the formula. Husky-voiced comedian Awkwafina is captivating as cuddly water dragon Sisu, her goofy earnestness in the same league as Robin Williams’s Genie.” – Simran Hans, The Guardian (UK). “A joyous experience that champions a hopeful optimism in humanity’s ability to trust one another… the best animated Disney film since Moana.” – The Observer. “An ambitious family film that will work for all ages, and one that never talks down to its audience while presenting them with an entertaining, thought-provoking story. It also contains some of the most striking imagery Disney has ever produced, dropping its characters in a world that feels both classic and new at the same time.” – rogerebert.com