We all know that Disney+ is a treasure trove of nostalgia that practically pays for itself every time you watch another Pixar film for the thousandth time with your kids. But you’ve already stuck all the butterfly clips in your hair and introduced your daughter to the teenage girl joy that is Lizzie McGuire. You’ve gone down the classic Disney film rabbit hole boy showing your children all the best ones, from Cinderella to 101 Dalmatians. You’ve got all the lyrics to Scar’s “Be Prepared” from The Lion King memorized and you can name all the dwarves from Snow White in the order that they appear in the movie.
Now you’re about to break down and drop 30 whole dollars on Disney’s newest film, Raya and the Last Dragon. But is it worth it? Will your kids even watch it more than once? Is it overhyped and actually a complete dud?
Let me stop your worrying. This story is an action-packed whirlwind that follows a cynical, spunky young girl on a journey to save her hopeful father, bring back the last dragon from her 500-year long hibernation, and reunite angry tribes that were once united. Thematically, it’s all about finding hope when it seems impossible, opening your heart to forgiveness, and learning how to trust again when that trust may have been shattered. It’s worth a watch and then another watch and then another. And I’ll tell you why.
1. We love a female lead
Going on an epic journey like this through the eyes of a teenage girl adds so many layers to this story. There is definitely an element of girl power at play here and Raya is a main character that it’s so easy to root for. She is hardened by the past, broken from living alone without her father for several years, and deeply focused on a colossal goal the whole way through. She learns so much about herself and about the heart of humanity as a whole and her evolution is relatable and beautiful to watch. And that fact that she’s also a total badass with her famous sword is just icing on the cake.
2. It’s exposes kids to new cultures
The story is set in Southeast Asia and the cultural influences are everywhere, from the background music throughout the film to the foods the characters eat. Everything from the fabrics and colors that the characters wear to the breathtaking nature and architectural elements across the regions weaves together an atmosphere and a spirit that is so fascinating to learn more about — or for kids to relate to and see represented on film.
3. It tackles hard topics like trust, seeing things from the perspectives of others, and the power of forgiveness
Yes, this movie has a lot of well-choreographed fight scenes and excellent comedic timing. But more than that, it has heart, and lots of it. These characters are tangible and they have feelings and personalities that are easy to latch onto and see parts of our own selves inside of. Raya learns that strength often comes through the support of others and that allowing yourself to trust people enough to lean on them isn’t a weakness at all, but a courageous strength.
4. Representation matters
If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that represenation matters — now more than ever before. Whether your child is seeing a powerful strong lead that looks like them, or they’re being exposed to characters that look differently from them, only good things can come from exposing our children to a diversity of characters, voices and ideas.
So, yes, you do have to pay $30 to watch this movie
But I’d pay that a few times over to get the opportunity to talk to my children about how sad it is that the tribes couldn’t figure out how to work together, how overwhelmed and unsure of herself Sisu the dragon might have felt when she was chosen to be the last dragon to hold all of the remaining dragon magic, and why Raya finally chose to forgive Namaari, even though it was hard.
Ultimately, this movie will make our kids laugh, expose them to new cultures, and dazzle them with stunning animation and lots of action. But beyond that, it will drill home the idea that humanity can — and should — find common ground and work to see things through each other’s eyes, no matter how different we may be.
