I can give credit that WDAS' "Raya and the Last Dragon", is a step beyond what we have got in the post-Lasseter/Catmull era. Compared to Tangled, or Frozen, the female characters have different nose sizes and body proportions. "Encanto" took this approach even further in addition to giving Mirabel glasses, and they had to fought for having Luisa to keep her muscles.
However, I think many of the big critiques coming from it has to do with these factors.
The two original directors were replaced months before it was completed.
Sisu's redesign was definitely toned down and was made into an Elsa clone, reusing her CGI assets and placing her face on to a dragon.
The addition of Olaf-esque / contemporary comedy relief/side characters.
And maybe it is the pacing, but I would be onboard if Raya's run time was extended to 2 or 2.5 hours. That would give it enough time to do more worldbuilding.
And one thing that drives probably the lack of Southeast Asian representation is the dialogue. Which is too modern, on the nose, and gets in the way of a serious story.
I think all of this has to do with possible executive interference coming from the board of directors, focus groups, and shareholders. Even the addition of data and charts.
A few years since Jennifer Lee replaced John Lasseter as the one in charge of WDAS, it isn’t fair to put the blame on her.
Frozen II had last minute changes as well and it all has to do with this and pretty much anyone knows this.
Disney is marketing the film to a mass audience, but their core target right now is mostly kids. Children ranging from 5 to 13.
That’s why the modern dialogue, forced comic relief, and maybe the possible simplifications and compromises of the filmmaker’s vision tone down a potentially personal story.
I know many of the Walt Disney era of their films sanitize fairy tales all the time, including Cinderella, which the Brothers Grimms ending is darker. Even films like The Little Mermaid done this as well, but there are still fulfilling and timeless qualities that make these films classic to this day.
In the end, WDAS has been on a hot streak ever since Lasseter is gone, and with the news that 2D is coming back, I wish them and Jennifer Lee for the best. But the executives and shareholders, and of course focus group tests, still might hold things back. Eventually, WDAS is gonna catch up to the competition who have been putting out many new films with stylized and hybrid animation techniques. And returning to their roots of hand-drawn and cel animation will make them stand out once again.
However, I think many of the big critiques coming from it has to do with these factors.
The two original directors were replaced months before it was completed.
Sisu's redesign was definitely toned down and was made into an Elsa clone, reusing her CGI assets and placing her face on to a dragon.
The addition of Olaf-esque / contemporary comedy relief/side characters.
And maybe it is the pacing, but I would be onboard if Raya's run time was extended to 2 or 2.5 hours. That would give it enough time to do more worldbuilding.
And one thing that drives probably the lack of Southeast Asian representation is the dialogue. Which is too modern, on the nose, and gets in the way of a serious story.
I think all of this has to do with possible executive interference coming from the board of directors, focus groups, and shareholders. Even the addition of data and charts.
A few years since Jennifer Lee replaced John Lasseter as the one in charge of WDAS, it isn’t fair to put the blame on her.
Frozen II had last minute changes as well and it all has to do with this and pretty much anyone knows this.
Disney is marketing the film to a mass audience, but their core target right now is mostly kids. Children ranging from 5 to 13.
That’s why the modern dialogue, forced comic relief, and maybe the possible simplifications and compromises of the filmmaker’s vision tone down a potentially personal story.
I know many of the Walt Disney era of their films sanitize fairy tales all the time, including Cinderella, which the Brothers Grimms ending is darker. Even films like The Little Mermaid done this as well, but there are still fulfilling and timeless qualities that make these films classic to this day.
In the end, WDAS has been on a hot streak ever since Lasseter is gone, and with the news that 2D is coming back, I wish them and Jennifer Lee for the best. But the executives and shareholders, and of course focus group tests, still might hold things back. Eventually, WDAS is gonna catch up to the competition who have been putting out many new films with stylized and hybrid animation techniques. And returning to their roots of hand-drawn and cel animation will make them stand out once again.
