Review of Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) by Squidlust — 15 Mar 2021

Beautiful environments and visuals do not make up for the first-draft plot. Confusingly anachronistic dialogue betrays the fantastical setting; jokes about undercuts, bling and breakdancing leave you wondering who exactly this film was written for (or by).

It's easy to tell which characters had their design driven purely based on ease of stuffed animal production, and don't get me started on the infant martial arts master with the sentience, understanding and physical ability of a thirty-year-old who seems to exist only to appeal to fans of Boss Baby (or, perhaps nobody at all).

The story is full of glaring plot holes (why didn't he jump in the water too? If the monsters are repelled by water why do multiple characters not use their magical, unlimited powers of rain and mist production to fight them off?), and the entire experience comes down to "Avatar: the last airbender" meets "Boss Baby" while failing to create a world that the viewer actually cares about or characters that we're actually rooting for.