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Raya and the Last Dragon: A Parents Guide

Raya and the Last Dragon, the latest movie from Walt Disney Studios, will be released in select theaters on March 5, 2021.  It will also be available on Disney+ with Premier Access on the same day.  Is the movie appropriate for younger kids?  And is it worth paying $29.99 to watch on Disney+?  I’m answering those questions and more in my spoiler free Raya and the Last Dragon parents guide.  With a PG rating that includes some violence, a lot of action and some moments of peril, here’s what parents need to know about Raya and the Last Dragon.

Photo courtesy of Disney.

Raya and the Last Dragon:  A Parents Guide

In the movie, Raya  (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran) is a warrior princess who sets off on an adventure to locate a dragon named Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina). Why?  Because 500 years ago, Raya’s land called Kumandra (inhabited by humans and dragons) was in danger from a plague called Druun.  The dragons sacrificed themselves to form a dragon gem containing special powers and as a result, saved the humans.  Unfortunately, that didn’t stop the humans from fighting one another and causing Kumandra to fracture into five separate lands.  After the dragon gem is broken, the Druun returns and as a result, Raya sets off to find the last dragon, Sisu.  In her quest to eradicate Druun, Raya is also joined by her trusty sidekick Tuk Tuk (voiced by Alan Tudyk), a baby con artist, a boy named Captain Boun (voiced by Izaac Wang), and a warrior giant (voiced by Benedict Wong).  Here’s what parents need to know about Raya and the Last Dragon.

It’s Rated PG 

Raya and the Last Dragon is rated PG, which means that parental guidance is recommended.  In this movie, none of the characters use profanity.  Instead, some of the characters reference their butts.  Basically, some “booty” humor.  And words like “cretin” are used.  Likewise, there aren’t any sexually suggestive scenes in the movie.  For example, there aren’t any romantic relationships, kissing scenes or flirtations.  The movie is mostly rated PG due to some violence, a lot of action, and some moments of peril.  More about that below.

Photo Courtesy of Disney

There Isn’t Any Graphic Violence

While there is some implied violence, there’s not any graphic violence in Raya and The Last Dragon.  One character references crushing the skulls of enemies and some characters are injured but their injuries aren’t really shown on screen.  For example, one character is struck in the leg with an arrow and several characters are turned into stone.  Weapons like swords and an axe are used, but blood is never shown and characters aren’t injured as a result of the weapons.  The weapons are mostly used in the action sequences which brings me to……….

There’s A Lot of Action in Raya and the Last Dragon

I love action movies and I was really surprised by the amount of action contained in this movie.  Many of the action scenes involve Raya and her rival Namaari (voiced by Gemma Chan).  Not only are the scenes well choreographed, but they are important to the plot and character development.  

Some of the other action scenes are quite humorous, arising unexpectedly from characters like a con baby.  Yes, you read that right - a con baby!  Meaning a baby who is a con artist!  

Overall Thoughts

Is Raya and The Last Dragon a good movie?  Yes.  Even more so, it’s a great movie to watch, especially as a family.  My 8 year old son loved it.  While it’s not a traditional Disney musical, it has a great message, several action scenes, a lot of heart, and humor. Basically everything that my family enjoys in a movie. And Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina) steals every scene she’s in.  She puts a lot of energy, humor, and compassion into her role and that makes her more than a one dimensional character.  

So here’s the question that a lot of people are likely going to ask.  Is it worth paying $29.99 to watch Raya and The Last Dragon on Disney+ with Premier Access?  I did not pay money to watch the live action remake of Mulan when it was first released, but instead waited until the movie was released on Disney+ as a general subscriber.  However, I will say that I enjoyed Raya and the Last Dragon a lot more than I enjoyed Mulan. While Mulan is entertaining, Raya and the Last Dragon is a must-see movie.  If it’s within your budget and you aren’t able to see this movie in theaters, then I do think the movie is worth paying for to watch on Disney+ with Premier Access.  Yes, it’s that good.

In the meantime, do you want to celebrate the movie’s release at home?  If so, click here for Raya and The Last Dragon activity pages from my friend Rachel at Pretty in Baby Food.

About Raya and the Last Dragon

“Raya and the Last Dragon” takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well.

 

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