[imagesource: Disney]

In recent times, Disney has made some rather underwhelming movies.

The classic prince and princess tale is no longer as in fashion as it once was, and “Disney princesses face the same PR minefield as every other modern royal”.

That’s according to The Telegraph, and is ironic when you consider how that media outlet consistently covers the likes of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but the point remains.

Get your Disney hero or heroine wrong, and social media attacks.

In the case of Raya, the princess at the centre of Raya and the Last Dragon, it appears to be a job very well done.

The Telegraph review awarded it five stars, saying “this wondrous, strange animation is as good as anything that Disney has cooked up in the past decade”:

Appropriately, given the plentiful bowls of broth and mounds of dumplings steaming merrily away in every other scene, it’s a feast of a film…

Before we pick apart some of the other reviews, here’s the trailer:

Den of Geek was even more effusive in its praise, saying it’s the best Disney princess story since 1998’s Mulan.

The filmmakers traveled throughout Southeast Asia to do research for the film, and it shows. Visually, Raya’s Heart homeland looks like Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, a vestige of the mighty Khmer empire…

It gives us fiercely kind and incredibly flawed characters who care about healing a broken world and a setting that recognizes there is beauty and value outside of European castle towns. It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s something incredibly special…

Mashable called it “a beautiful adventure with a big heart”, adding that it “feels almost a pity when the movie ends and we have to say goodbye to the whole gang”.

Finally, Gizmodo was also all in:

Truly, Raya and the Last Dragon is just a well-made, enjoyable movie across the board. The entire voice cast is excellent. The animation is beyond gorgeous. The story is emotional and multi-faceted. It’ll leave you not just entertained, but introspective about your own life and the world we live in today.

Uh oh – introspection.

At least it’s something you can watch with the kids, that isn’t Peppa Pig or whatever else keeps them busy these days.

Raya and the Last Dragon will be released on Disney+ from Friday, March 5.

[sources:telegraph&denofgeek&mashable&gizmodo]