“Moana” (2016)

Moana

Grade: B+

Disney’s Moana is one of the studio’s most inspiring and visually stunning non-Pixar animated films of the 2010s, with entertaining songs, an empowering main character and Polynesian imagery that is as lush as Hawaii itself. A few more notes on Moana:

Directing:

The production budget for Moana is estimated at $175 million, and it’s not because The Rock and Lin-Manuel Miranda command a hefty payday. Simply put, Moana has some of the best and brightest animation you’ll ever see in a film. The movements are so realistic that the results are almost unbelievable. Credit to directors John Musker and Ron Clements and the large team of talented animators who make sure every frame of Moana is filled with imaginative invention.

Acting:

Newcomer Auli‘i Cravalho is a revelation as Moana. She’s strong-willed, independent and easy to root for, while still possessing a teenager’s vulnerability: the obvious heart and soul of the film. Meanwhile, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is perfectly cast as Maui, the big goofy demigod. It’s his first and so far only voice acting role. Fittingly, it’s also perhaps the only movie he’s ever done where you can separate his ubiquitous persona from the character.

Writing:

The first Pacific Island-oriented Disney film since Lilo & Stitch, Moana is authentic in its diverse perspective, which means the simple storyline is never formulaic. It’s also the rare Disney princess movie that doesn’t rely on romance for its main character to come of age — a good lesson for all the young girls in the audience. Although it turns into a standard mythological quest by the end (Moana and Maui must fight a volcano monster called Te Kā and restore the heart of Te Fiti), the film remains entertaining and family-friendly while imparting thoughtful messages throughout.

Music:

Fans of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s wordy, well-structured style will surely enjoy the clever verses and triumphant choruses. Not only great for singing along (e.g., “Where You Are”), but also for providing some fun laughs (e.g., Jermaine Clement’s “Shiny”).

Ending (SPOILERS):

Moana fulfills her destiny and saves her people, setting up a 2024 sequel in the process. The ending is fulfilling but also a little lackluster: the film is your typical hero’s journey in which the journey is vastly more enthralling than the destination. For all the storyline’s novel invention, it becomes clichéd by the end.

“Sometimes who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, is just not meant to be.” – Sina

Why Moana gets a B+:

Boasting some of the most beautiful and colorful visuals in animated film history, Moana is an empowering story that becomes clichéd by the end but still remains vastly entertaining.

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