Moana

Moana

Starring Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison

Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker

The Story:
The Polynesian island goddess Te Fiti formed the islands, supplied the lands with life and it's all because of her heart.  However, demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) stole her magical heart to give to humanity as a gift, and Te Fiti stops creating new islands and begins to decay.  Maui is attacked by Te Ka, a lava demon, and he loses the heart and his magical fishhook.

A thousand years later, in a small Polynesian island, young Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) is being bred to be raised as the first female chief of her island.  Her father insists she stay safe on the island and never venture out, but she's felt a calling for the ocean since a young age, and she feels called by the ocean to return the heart of Te Fiti to its rightful owner by finding Maui, convincing him to travel with her, face Te Ka, and restore Te Fiti's heart so the islands will stop being affected by death and decay.

The Synopsis:
Disney manages to tell a story with depth, emotion, action and heart in a way that very few other companies can.  Blending historical Polynesian folklore with toe-tapping musical numbers, lavish animations and powerful vocal leads, "Moana" becomes something more than just a typical Disney story and delves into a deeper tale of love, family, forgiveness, heritage, courage and bravery.

The story is a beautifully crafted tale involving a young woman who is very much dislike most of Disney's other princesses.  Unlike Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and the like, Moana is a fiercely independent woman who doesn't need a man, and who bravely sets out on her own adventure in the midst of uncertainty.  She doesn't want to relegate herself to living in the safe area, but spread her wings and see what awaits her in a large, uncertain, scary world.  This is a great theme for young people to grab onto, because it shows that we can't live in fear and insecurity, but instead we need to go out and forge our own path in life.  It's also good to note that the journey isn't easy, and Moana considers quitting on different occasions, which helps add a sense of realism to her story as life isn't easy, and we all face troubles, but if we overcome our troubles then we can fully achieve who we're meant to be.

The film's main lead is newcomer Auli'i Cravalho, a Hawaiian native who auditioned for the role without having acted before, and its her infectious vocal work that adds a deeper charm and emotion to Moana as she bravely takes on her fears and does what needs to be done.  She gives Moana a teenager appeal instead of making her out to be a seasoned woman as she chides her friends and family, gives sarcastic remarks and even gets angry.  When she faces adversity she turns to the ocean and yells at it, "I said help me!  And wrecking my boat?  Not helping!  Fish pee in you all day!"  She gives a sincere performance to her role and makes Moana a highly relatable character that we root for and care about.

Dwayne Johnson voices the demigod Maui, whose character seems to be tailor made for him.  He's the antihero who wants to be the hero, but has his own fears and insecurities that hold him back.  When he meets Moana, he doesn't want to take the heart back, but by witnessing Moana's strength and fearlessness, he comes to terms with his dark past and sets out to be the hero that he wants others to know him to be.

The humor in the film comes from Moana's chicken she calls Heihei, who's not the brightest bulb in the bunch.  There's been some controversy regarding Heihei where some people feel its a mockery of the mentally handicapped, but I doubt that's the route Disney wanted to take.  It's an added breath of levity to a very harrowing tale, a side story that allows you to forget the seriousness of the plight and let yourself go in some gut-rolling laughter.

Mixed with the heartwarming story and stellar vocal acting is the awe-inspiring animations that Disney is known for.  The colors are fresh, vibrant and alive, giving a deeper sense of adventure Moana and Maui travels on, and serves as perfect eye candy for young and old alike.  The attention to detail is remarkable, especially in Maui's tattoos that come to life and tell a story all its own.

The final piece of the pie is the remarkable musical numbers, many of which (including the Oscar-nominated theme "How Far I'll Go") was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is best known for developing and starring in the worldwide phenomena "Hamilton."  The songs are catchy and positive, especially the aforementioned "How Far I'll Go," which serves as Moana's theme song throughout the film.  There's also some wonderful musical numbers that honor the Polynesian history that gives you a deeper appreciation for their history.

The Summary:
Blending a powerful tale, excellent voice actors, amazing animation and showstopping music, "Moana" serves as a powerful tale of self-resilience, perseverance and the importance of family and history.

The Score: A+