Category: Adventure

05Apr

[FILM REVIEW] CHAOS WALKING Review (2021)

Posted in Action, Adventure, Film, Film Genre, Home Page, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | Leave a comment

Summary:  A dystopian world where there are no women and all living creatures can hear each other’s thoughts in a stream of images, words, and sounds called Noise.

Year: 2021

Cinema Release Dates: 4th March 2021 (Australia), 11th March 2021 (Thailand), 5th March 2021 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: 2nd April 2021 (UK)

Country: USA, Canada, Hong Kong

Director: Doug Liman

Screenwriter: Christopher Ford, Patrick Ness

Cast: Olunike Adeliyi (Piper), Tyrone Benskin (Hammer), Claudia Besso (Gwen), Demian Bichir (Ben), Tomar Boyd (Farbranch), Bryce Buckbauer (Young Davy), Blane Crockarell (Young Todd), Mylene Dinh-Robic (Julie), Jazzy Ellis (Lilly), Cynthia Erivo (Hildy), Frank Fontaine (Mr Phelps), Patrick Garrow (Ivan), Francois Gauthier (Charlie), Isabelle Giroux (Jenny Hewitt), Bobby Hernandez (Captain Alvarez), Tom Holland (Todd), Oscar Jaenada (Wilf), Nick Jonas (Davy Prentiss Jnr.), Don Jordan (Tam), Vincent Leclerc (Daws), Bethany Anne Lind (Karyssa Hewitt), Ray McKinnon (Matthew), Mads Mikkelsen (Mayor Prentiss), Tara Nicodemo (Tara), Yadi Nieves (Jackie), David Oyelowo (Aaron), Petra Post (Sweet Julie), Julian Richings (Gault), Daisy Ridley (Viola), Peter Seaborn (Caleb), Kurt Sutter (Cillian)

Running Time: 109 mins

Classification: M (Australia), 15 (Thailand), 12-A (UK), PG-13 (USA)

OUR CHAOS WALKING REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ Chaos Walking Review:

Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley! When it comes to pop culture film stars you couldn’t get two bigger. She is the face and main star of the latest batch of Star Wars adventures and he… well he is Spider-Man. The fact that the pair of them have joined forced in a film that very few people know about despite the fact it is in cinemas now is deeply astounding.

With America’s cinemas still out of commission it feels like some films are being released into cinemas without much fanfare and sadly Chaos Walking is one of those. Not just sadly because it means pop culture fans are likely to miss out on two of their favourite stars on the big screen but also sadly because this is one teenage post-apocalyptic movie that is going to appeal to people of all ages.

Set on a planet called New World Chaos Walking finds Todd (Tom Holland – Spider-Man: Far From Home) living in a woman-less society. Raised by Ben (Demian Bichir – The Hateful Eight) and Cillian (Kurt Sutter – Sons Of Anarchy) Todd has been raised to believe that all woman on the planet were killed by an invading army of aliens. Now he spends the days working on the farm, trying to control his Noise (thoughts that can be heard by others) and trying to avoid a mad priest (David Oyelowo – Selma).

Todd’s fathers become worried though when he starts to find favour with the town’s fearless Mayor (Mads Mikkelsen – Another Round) but even that relationship is put to the test when Todd is the person that finds the crashed space-craft of a young woman named Viola (Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens).

Directed by Doug Liman, the amazing filmmaker who has brought us films like The Bourne Identity and Edge Of Tomorrow, Chaos Walking goes far beyond your average teenage dystopian film and places itself in that elite side of the category that includes films like The Maze Runner and Divergent. Despite knowing the audience that this film is based at there is something edgy about the film. Todd doesn’t mind dropping the odd profanity and when the heroes do find themselves under the threat you know there is a good chance they may not get out of it alive.

The alternative nature of the film also seems to be embraced by the actors. Mads Mikkelsen brings his A-Game as he portrays a menacing Mayor with a world of secrets while the film also exposes a side of the acting of Ridley and Holland that few would have seen before. Many people have wondered whether or not Ridley has what it takes to make a career for herself outside of Star Wars and this is the film that suggests she certainly can.

The same can also be said for Holland. Unlike Ridley though Tom Holland had runs on the board before the franchise that made him a household name. Anyone who watched The Impossible, a film about the tragic Boxing Day tsunami, knew that Holland was going to become a star. Here in Chaos Walking he does what he did last year with The Current War and shows that he is going to be one of Hollywood’s best actors with or without the label of a superhero behind him.

Much of what there is to like about Chaos Walking also comes to the brilliant work of Doug Liman. Just like he did with The Bourne Identity Liman has audiences on the edge of their seat for a majority of the film and this is a film that he had to work hard to make. There were frequent re-writes and re-shoots throughout the film which of course caused major concerns with the busy schedules of the film’s stars so it really is a miracle that this film has ever made it cinemas. Those that love quality films though will be very thankful that it did.

Chaos Walking is one of the surprise hits of 2021. A step above most teenage sci-fi films this is the kind of film that will be embraced by people of all ages and once you have seen it you will be eagerly waiting to see if they decide to make more films in the franchise.

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

DF-18958.ARW

Alex First, Greg King and Peter Krausz’s Chaos Walking Review

Greg’s Rating Out Of 5:

Peter’s Rating Out Of 5:

Alex’s Rating Out Of 5:

Lee Griffiths’ Chaos Walking Review:

Lee’s Score Out Of 5:

Average Subculture Rating:

IMDB Rating:

Chaos Walking (2021) on IMDb

Other Subculture Chaos Walking Reviews:

You can also check out our review that ran in The Phuket News right here – https://www.thephuketnews.com/tom-holland-daisy-ridley-find-themselves-chaos-walking-79318.php

Trailer:

05Apr

[FILM REVIEW] GODZILLA VS KONG Review (2021)

Posted in Action, Adventure, Film, Film Genre, Home Page, Sci-Fi / Fantasy | Leave a comment

Summary:  The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another – the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong – with humanity caught in the balance.

Year: 2021

Cinema Release Dates: 25th March 2021 (Australia), 25th March 2021 (Thailand), 31st March 2021 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: 1st April 2021 (UK), 31st March 2021 (USA)

Country: USA, Australia, Canada, India

Director: Adam Wingard

Screenwriter: Eric Pearson, Max Borenstein

Cast: Demian Bichir (Walter Simmons), Millie Bobby Brown (Madison Russell), Chris Chalk (Ben), Kyle Chandler (Mark Russell), Ronnie Chieng (Jay Wayne), Julian Dennison (Josh Valentine), Eia Gonzalez (Maya Simmons), Rebecca Hall (Ilene Andrews), Brian Tyree Henry (Bernie Hayes), Kaylee Hottle (Jia), Hakeen Kae-Kazim (Admiral Wilcox), Daniel Nielson (Hayworth), Shaun Oguri (Ren Serizawa), John Pirruccello (Horace), Lance Reddick (Guillerman), Alexsander Skargard (Nathan Lind)

Running Time: 113 mins

Classification: M (Australia), G (Thailand), 12-A (UK), PG-13 (USA)

OUR GODZILA VS KONG REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ Godzilla vs Kong Review:

There is perhaps no bigger way to announce that blockbusters are back in post-COVID cinemas then to let two titans like Godzilla and King Kong go head-to-head. The Godzilla/Kong franchise has bubbled along nicely for Warner Bros over the past seven years and now it roars back to life as the two titans come to some pretty impressive blows in Godzilla vs Kong.

Directed by Adam Wingard (Blair Witch) the film sees the giant creatures go to war after Kong expert Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall – The Town) and her adopted daughter Jia (newcomer Kaylee Hottle) are persuaded by scientist Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgard – The Legend Of Tarzan) to bring Kong out of his protected environment in a bid to help with a scientific discovery that could save humanity.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world the determined Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown – Stranger Things) and her friend Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison – Deadpool 2) have joined forces with conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes (Brian Tyree Henry – Widows) to try and clear Godzilla’s name after it appears that he attacked a city for no apparent reason.

However, once Godzilla realises that Kong is out and in the open he proceeds to attack the giant beast in a bid to become the ‘alpha’ placing the lives of all on Earth at risk.

The plotline of Godzilla vs Kong is pretty thin but of course nobody is going into this film expecting an Oscar-worthy script – no this is a film that is designed to be a visual spectacular and that is certainly the case from start to finish. If you want action then you’ve come to the right place because Godzilla vs Kong delivers it in spades.

The one thing you do very quickly realise with this film is that it is very much a Kong film. The film is largely told through the eyes of those who surround Kong ie. Ilene Andrews, Nathan Lind and Jia, and for the most part Kong is the hero of the tale and Godzilla the villain. That also results in strong storylines developing around those characters and Kong while the interest in the team trying to ‘clear’ Godzilla at times wanes as it is mainly one dimensional.

What saves the film though is the brilliant action sequences that see the two kings of the Monsterverse go head-to-head. To the credit of the filmmakers they don’t hold back on those scenes and the two epic battles are more than enough to fulfil those who criticised Godzilla: King Of Monsters for its lack of action. And yes the rumours are true – both battles easily last longer than 10 minutes on screen each. With some amazing special effects and the brilliant eye of Wingard and cinematographer Ben Seresin (World War Z) these battle sequences come to life in a way that fans of the franchise could only dream they could. They also have the sense not to be cutting away to minor characters during the battles and instead just let the beasts host their own version of Smackdown.

When it comes to the acting side of things you get both good and bad with Godzilla vs Kong. The talented Kyle Chandler (Super 8) feels wasted with his limited screen-time but both Rebecca Hall and Kaylee Hottle shine as the carry most of the ‘human’ side of the film. You expect that someone with the experience of Hall could do that fairly easily but huge credit must be paid for Hottle for doing so. This is the first acting performance for the young hearing-impaired actress and her performance brings back memories of Drew Barrymore in E.T. or Kirsten Dunst in Interview With A Vampire. Like them she never seems to be over-awed by the scale of the film or by the experience of the actors around her and instead she makes her own mark as a star.

Godzilla vs Kong is the kind of film where you are willing to overlook some pretty obvious continuity errors and weak storyline simply because of the amazing special effects and action sequences. While the film is not likely to be an award winner it will certainly win over fans of this franchise with ease.

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture Rating:

IMDB Rating:

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) on IMDb

Other Subculture Godzilla vs Kong Reviews:

You can also check out our review that appeared in The Phuket News here – https://www.thephuketnews.com/godzilla-vs-kong-hits-phuket-screens-79481.php

Trailer:

03Apr

[FILM REVIEW] TOM AND JERRY Review (2021)

Posted in Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family/Kids, Film, Film Genre, Home Page | Leave a comment

Summary:  A chaotic battle ensues between Jerry Mouse, who has taken refuge in the Royal Gate Hotel, and Tom Cat, who is hired to drive him away before the day of a big wedding arrives.

Year: 2021

Cinema Release Dates: 1st April 2021 (Australia), 26th February 2021 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: 25th March 2021 (USA)

Country: UK, USA

Director: Tim Story

Screenwriter: Kevin Costello

Cast: Janis Ahern (Mrs. Jacobson), Daniel Adegboyega (Gavin the Doorman), Camilla Arfwedson (Linda Perrybottom), Jordan Bolger (Cameron), Joe Buck (himself), Bobby Cannavale (Spike (voice)), Ajay Chhabra (Mr Mehta), Christina Chong (Lola), Somi De Souza (Mrs Mehta), Rob Delaney (Mr. Dubros), Eleanor Fanyinka (Sadie (voice)), Patsy Ferran (Joy The Bell Girl), Spank Horton (Ash (voice)), Nicky Jam (Butch (voice)), Ken Jeong (Chef Jackie), Colin Jost (Ben), Edward Judge (Leo The Sous Chef), Lil Rel Howery (Angel/Devil (voice)), Na’im Lynn (Meathead (voice)), Chloe Grace Moretz (Kayla), Michael Pena (Terrence), Patrick Poletti (Mr. Jacobson Snr.), Harry Ratchford (Topsy (voice)), Bernardo Santos (Aaron Merritt), Pallavi Sharda (Preeta), Joey Wells (Lightning (voice))

Running Time: 101 mins

Classification: G (Australia), PG (UK), PG (USA)

OUR TOM AND JERRY REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ Tom And Jerry Review:

When I first heard that a new Tom & Jerry movie was on the way, my first thought was – how could this possibly work? Yes the mischievous mouse and cat have been entertaining audiences for over 70 years, but I have come to realise over recent years that what the new generation finds funny compared to what I found funny as a child 30 years ago is vastly different. So, I’ll be completely honest – I thought the chances of this being a Tom & Jerry film that would appeal to all ages was next to zero.

But I am happy to say that I am going to have to eat my words with this one because director/screenwriter Tim Story (Fantastic Four) has created a world for Tom and Jerry that I am sure even their creators, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera would be very proud of.

The key thing to making Story’s version of Tom & Jerry work is that he has made it universal and timeless. As usual Tom chases Jerry right around the city and Jerry finds himself moving into the Royal Gate Hotel just as the world’s most popular couple, Preeta (Pallavi Sharada – Lion) and Ben (Colin Jost – How To Be Single), have arrived at the Hotel in preparation for their wedding.

The approaching wedding has the Hotel’s Events Manager, Terence (Michael Pena – Ant-Man), completely stressed out and he not impressed when his boss, Mr Dubros (Rob Delaney – Deadpool 2), hires the very inexperienced Kayla (Chloe Grace Moretz – Kick-Ass) to help him out.

Adding to Terence’s stress is the fact that suddenly he has the crazy pair of Tom and Jerry running around the hotel and fighting at every opportunity, just when he wants everything to be perfect. Despite him predicting it will end in disaster he can only sit back and watch as Kayla drums up a plan to hire Tom to try and capture Jerry.

There is a tonne of fun and comedy throughout the film but what impressed me the most was how Tim Story managed to mix old with new. The old school animation that brings Tom, Jerry and a cast of other animals including the famous bulldog Spike (Bobby Cannavale – Blue Jasmine), to life is mixed well with the modern day shots – so well in fact that the only film I think I ever seen that has such a seamless animation and real life mix is Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Likewise the story itself. This is a timeless tale, the events that happen at the Hotel could easily have happened in the 1930s and that is one of the reasons why the characters of Tom and Jerry slip so well into this ‘new world’. Even the hotel itself looks like it has been plucked from a 1930s film noir flick so again lends itself to the world of Tom and Jerry perfectly.

As a storyteller Story also comes to the fore with his characters. Dubros and Terence are perfectly over-acted and enhanced while the smart Kayla is written as a strong and caring lead that the audience quickly wants to support. Story has even written Preeta and Ben in such a way that they are likable, move the story along but never over-stay their welcome or over-shadow the characters that are the centre-piece to the plot. The only character I feel Story should have done more with was Chef Jackie who is seriously under-used especially given that he has played by comedic genius Ken Jeong (Community) but still does very little to move the story along.

That is the only blemish though when it comes to the acting. Moretz quickly shows the audience that she can add comedy to the list of things that she excels while Pena again does what he did in Dora The Explorer and brings his A-Game to a family film. It probably doesn’t look like it on paper but Moretz and Pena are the perfect comedy duo here are one of the reasons why the film works so well.

Tom & Jerry goes very close to being the perfect family film – funny throughout and sensitive when it needs to be this is the kind of film that will be loved by any generation of the family. For kids it is something new and fresh and for Mum and Dad (and even Grandpa and Grandma) this is a trip down memory lane with a modern twist. I still can’t believe I am saying this but you will find very few films as enjoyable as Tom & Jerry this year.

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Kyle McGraths’ Tom And Jerry Review:

Kyle’s Rating Out Of 5:

Average Subculture Rating:

IMDB Rating:

Tom and Jerry (2021) on IMDb

Other Subculture Tom And Jerry Reviews:

Nil

Trailer:

02Apr

[MOVIE INTERVIEW] GODZILLA VS KONG – Rebecca Hall Interview

Posted in Action, Adventure, Film, Film Genre, Home Page, Interviews, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Thriller | Leave a comment

Well blockbusters are certainly back in the cinemas. For the last week it has felt that there are no other films in the cinema as the two titans Godzilla and Kong have dominated cinema box office takings as they face off in Godzilla vs Kong.

Of course those two giants need some human support throughout the film and one of those ‘supporters’ is actress Rebecca Hall who plays Kong’s carer, Dr Ilene Andrews, in the film. There are some who maybe asking why an actress known for doing arthouse films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Shakespearian theatre productions would want to be involved with an action blockbuster like Godzilla vs Kong but Hall says there were no hesitations for her to work on the project.

“There were a couple of things that really pulled me towards it,” says Hall reflecting on her decision to join the cast. “I found it really interesting that in a lot of the King Kong films there is kind of this dynamic where he falls in love with a beautiful lady and he wants to save her, and then that is the general thrust of the film. Often it is a blonde beautiful lady but I found with this one it was really interesting because the person that Kong has the most intimate relationship with is a child.”

The other element that really intrigued Hall was the fact that Kong’s closest confidant was in fact deaf. “When I found out that they had someone who was legally deaf (actress Kaylee Hottle) playing the part I thought that was really interesting… and valid. Then I realised that the character that they wanted me to play was the Jane Goodell kind of character for King Kong and I thought that was pretty interesting. This was the kind of alliteration of this film where there was something different… and I liked that about it.”

Of course the question on everybody’s lips is what causes Kong and Godzilla to come to blows and Hall laughs when she is asked that question. “Well it comes to a head when on they are on the way to Hollow Earth,” says Hall laughing even more at how absurd her sentence sounds when spoken.

“Godzilla is on the loose and there is a sort of theory held by myself, Ilene Andrews, that the titans will found each out and there is a long-held, ancient rivalry between these two figures,” she said as she composes herself. “And she believes that if you put them in the same vicinity that they will probably find each other and it will probably go a little bit pear-shaped… and she is right.”

Of course one thing that many people seem to have forgotten about this film is that it is very much part of the Universal Monster universe that the studio is hoping will continue to entertain audiences for years to come, but that is something that Hall is very aware of.

“These are two of the classic monsters that have popped up on our screen for years and years,” he explains with excitement clear in her voice. “They go head-to-head. The film is about them, I am not the focus. There is excitement around what will happen between them, there is an excitement to see that. But on top of all that and what is special about this one is that there is a really good story. There are some really fun interesting characters… this is not your standard archetypal heroes and villains. It is all very unexpected and fun and there is quite a bit of humor in it.”

Godzilla vs Kong is currently screening in Phuket. It is classified ‘G’.

31Mar

[FILM NEWS] STAR WARS: THE BAD BATCH Trailer Released

Posted in Action, Adventure, Animation, Family/Kids, Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, News, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, TV | Leave a comment

Check out the brand-new trailer for Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Bad Batch,” an original animated series launching exclusively on Disney+. 

“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” makes its debut on Tuesday, May 4, with a special 70-minute premiere, followed by new episodes every Friday starting on May 7. 
 
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in “The Clone Wars”) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch – a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army – each possess a singular exceptional skill that makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew.
 
“Star Wars: The Bad Batch” is executive produced by Dave Filoni (“The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”), Athena Portillo (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars Rebels”), Brad Rau (“Star Wars Rebels,” “Star Wars Resistance”) and Jennifer Corbett (“Star Wars Resistance,” “NCIS”) with Carrie Beck (“The Mandalorian,” “Star Wars Rebels”) as co-executive producer and Josh Rimes as producer (“Star Wars Resistance”). Rau is also serving as supervising director with Corbett as head writer.   
 
Visit StarWars.com for more exciting news on the series. 

30Mar

[FILM NEWS] OBI-WAN KENOBI Cast Announced

Posted in Action, Adventure, Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, News, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, TV | Leave a comment

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” the new Disney+ special event series starring Ewan McGregor as the iconic Jedi Master, will begin shooting in April. The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” where Kenobi faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. 
 
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” is directed by Deborah Chow, director of two critically acclaimed episodes of “The Mandalorian,” Season 1.
 
The series also marks the return of Hayden Christensen in the role of Darth Vader. 
 
Joining the cast are Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. 
 
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” is executive-produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Michelle Rejwan, Deborah Chow, Ewan McGregor and writer Joby Harold. The casting director is Carmen Cuba.
 
“Obi-Wan Kenobi” will be available exclusively on Disney+.

23Mar

[VOD NEWS] THE FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER Debuts #1 On DISNEY+

Posted in Action, Adventure, Film, Film Genre, Film News, Home Page, News, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, TV | Leave a comment

Disney+ Original series “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” from Marvel Studios ranked as the most watched series premiere ever on Disney+ during its opening weekend, Friday, 19 March – Sunday, 22 March, and the most watched title overall for the same time period on a global basis, including in Disney+ Hotstar markets.

The premiere of “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” joins the premieres of Marvel Studios’ first live-action series, “WandaVision,” and the season two premiere of “The Mandalorian” from Lucasfilm as the three most-watched Disney+ Original series opening weekends to-date.

Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson aka The Falcon, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes aka The Winter Soldier.

The pair, who came together in the final moments of “Avengers: Endgame,” team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience. Directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer, the six-episode series also stars Daniel Brühl as Zemo, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker.

“The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” debuted worldwide on Disney+ 19 March, 2021.

07Mar

[FILM REVIEW] RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON Review (2021)

Posted in Adventure, Animation, Family/Kids, Film, Film Genre, Home Page | Leave a comment

Summary: A young warrior sets off to find the last remaining dragon after her world faces annihilation at the hands of some dark monsters.

Year: 2021

Cinema Release Dates: 4th March 2021 (Australia), 4th March 2021 (Thailand), 5th March 2021 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: 5th March 2021 (UK), 5th March 2021 (USA)

Country: USA

Director: Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada

Screenwriter: Adele Lim, Qui Nugyen

Cast: Awkwafina (Sisu (voice)), Gemma Chan (Namarri (voice)), Francois Chau (Wahn), Sung Kang (Dang Hai (voice)), Daniel Dae Kim (Benja (voice)), Dichen Lachman (General Atitaya, Spine Warror (voice)), Sandra Oh (Virana (voice)), Jon Park (Chai (voice)), Lucielle Soong (Dang Hu (voice)), Kelly Marie Tran (Raya (voice)), Thalia Tran (Little Noi (voice)), Alan Tudyk (Tuk Tuk (voice)), Izaac Wang (Boun (voice)), Benedict Wong (Tong (voice)), Jona Xiao (Young Namaari (voice))

Running Time: 114 mins

Classification: PG (Australia), G (Thailand), PG (USA)

BLACKBIRD REVIEWS

David Griffiths’ Raya And The Last Dragon Review:

It is hard to believe that it has been twelve months since Disney released a brand new film straight to cinemas… yes even the House Of Mouse was not immune from the great Covid cinema lockdown worldwide. The great news is that Disney returns to cinemas this week with a film that is arguably one of their greatest pieces of animated brilliance – Raya And The Last Dragon.

It is rare these days to find an animation that has adults staring wide-eyed and excited at the screen the way that so many of the Disney classics did when we were kids but such is the stunning artwork and captivating storyline of Raya that it certainly wakes up your inner child.

Inspired by South East Asian culture the film follows the adventures of Raya (voiced by Kelly Marie Tran – Star Wars: The Last Jedi) a young warrior who is trained by her father Benja (Daniel Dae Kim – Hellboy) to guard the last remaining piece of dragon power contained in a magical gem stone.

They live in a world divided, a place where every tribe has fended for itself since a great war that saw the destruction of the dragon race at the hands of evil creatures known as Druuns. Since then the land of Kumandra has become separated and the various tribes do whatever they can to survive while people such as Benja do whatever they can to try and reunite everybody once again.

However, when Raya is tricked by Namaari (Gemma Chan – Crazy Rich Asians), a young warrior from another tribe, the gem breaks and each tribe takes a piece for itself at the same time the spell is broken and the Druuns once again return and begin to destroy what is left on Earth. With the world then slowly disappearing and mankind being wiped out Raya begins a journey to try and find the last remaining dragon – Sisu (Awkwafina – Ocean’s Eight).

Excuse the pun but the magic of Raya And The Last Dragon is out of this world. The storyline here is involving and creative and this time Disney have realised that they don’t need a song every five minutes to move things along a little bit. In fact this time around the screenwriters and the literal team of directors that worked on the film get everything right.

The story itself draws you in the same way as other modern day fantasy tales, such as A Writer’s Odyssey, do while the film doesn’t exactly cater for extremely young children as it mixes fight sequences with chase sequences and even finds a way to throw in some humour without it ever seeming out of place. The world created here is as imaginative as the worlds film lovers a generation ago found themselves escaping to with films like The Neverending Story and The Dark Crystal and while the story is in depth it never loses its audience and instead keeps them on the edge of their seats.

What makes Raya And The Last Dragon come together so well though is the amazing artwork with the animation. There are times with this film where you find yourself watching the screen and believing you are watching actual actors and actresses as the artwork is so realistic – the same can be said for the scenery which was inspired by the filmmakers trips to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Part of what makes the animation of this film work so well is also because the art team decided to make the characters look like the actors and actresses playing them. As soon as Benja walks onto screen the likeness he has in appearance to Daniel Dae Kim is astounding – and yes the filmmakers even find a way to make Sisu look like Awkwafina.

Raya And The Last Dragon is one of the cinematic highlights of 2021. Disney manage to bring everything together in such a way that the capture that old school Disney magic that has been missing from the company for quite awhile. This is truly a film for people of all ages as even adults are going to be captured by the magic and imagination of Raya.

David Griffiths and Lee G’s Raya And The Last Dragon Review:

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Lee’s Rating Out Of 5:

Alex First and Peter Krausz’s Raya And The Last Dragon Review:

Alex’s Score Out Of 5:

Peter’s Score Out Of 5:

Average Subculture Rating:

IMDB Rating:

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) on IMDb

Other Subculture Raya And The Last Dragon Reviews:

You can also check out our review for Raya And The Last Dragon in The Phuket News – https://www.thephuketnews.com/disney-is-back-raya-and-the-last-dragon-reigns-supreme-79250.php

Trailer: