Today’s quick review: Moana. Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) becomes the only hope for her peaceful island in the Pacific when an ancient curse reaches its shores, poisoning its crops and driving away its fish. Moana must venture beyond the safety of her home to find Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a vain but kind-hearted demigod, and convince him to restore the heart he stole from the goddess Te Fiti, ending the curse and making the ocean navigable once more.
Moana is an animated family fantasy adventure from Disney that’s based on Polynesian mythology. The movie follows a spirited teenage girl into the unknown waters beyond her island in the hopes of reversing the ancient curse that endangers it. Moana features colorful and lavishly detailed CGI animation, a solid story, a pair of fun leads, and a decent sense of humor. Its strong craftsmanship will make it an excellent pick for most Disney fans.
Moana is a rock-solid execution of the Disney formula. Moana’s dream of sailing beyond her island forms the emotional core of the movie, and her search for Maui builds off it quite nicely. Moana and Maui play off each other well, with just the right balance of conflicting personalities and mutual respect. The challenges they face along the way also let the movie indulge in some action without interfering with the main plot.
Moana has a particular musical style that won’t appeal to everyone. While the songs are clearly put together with care, the lyrics are wordy and literal, used more to advance the plot than expand on a theme. As such, Moana has more in common with more recent Disney musicals like Frozen than older ones like Mulan. Some viewers will welcome the added complexity and tight story integration, but others will find it harder to get lost in the songs.
Give Moana a try when you’re in the mood for something light, adventurous, and visually stunning. How much you get out of the movie will depend on your particular taste in Disney films, but Moana has all the quality it needs to please a wide range of fans. For a modern Disney musical in a similar vein, check out Frozen. For a heartfelt Disney sci-fi adventure based on Hawaiian culture, check out Lilo & Stitch.
7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for impressive animation, a charming story, and a high degree of polish.