Moana (2016)
I can see why Moana was so popular - it’s easy to watch, is led by a really charismatic pair of characters and has good music. You’re not going to be weeping at the end of Moana (well, I don’t), but you will be happy and thoroughly Disneyfied. Basically, it’s not my favourite, it just doesn’t connect with me for some reason, but I do think it’s really great.
Moana is an awesome character - definitely a lovely role model for young girls. I like that Maui doesn’t get all the best lines, and Moana is able to be a bit of a goofball as well as brave and kind and a wonderful singer and one with the nature and the critters the way a Disney Princess should be. I also like the design of the character - she’s strong and moves like a real person, and I like the way her hair constantly gets in her face.
Maui is a brilliant creation - they introduce him way too late! This is another example of Disney’s genius for casting voice actors - if not played by The Rock Maui could have been quite unlikeable.
I think there are some slight pacing issues in the plot, as it doesn't get going for a long time. You know Moana’s going to set off across the sea at some point, and by about 30 minutes in you’re wondering why she hasn't done it yet. There are three songs before Moana leaves Motonui, all exploring similar themes, meaning that the soundtrack is a bit lopsided, in the same way that it is for Frozen. I also think the bit with the kakamora could have been ditched in favour of more time in the Realm of Monsters. The kakamora don’t add anything, whereas Tamatoa is excellent and feels a bit wasted.
On that subject, my sis thinks the movie suffers a bit by not having a proper villain. This hasn't been a problem in other Disneys and Pixars we’ve watched, and she feels the need for an iconic villain because so much else about Moana feels like the Golden Age of the 90s (where the villain was as important as the good guys), but overall the film feels a bit too nice for her. I don't necessarily agree on this.
It is def one of the strengths of the film that so much time and thought went into making it representative and respectful of Polynesian culture (while at the same time sticking to the Disney formula).
The music is really good It doesn't quite achieve the brilliance of Alan Menken at his best, but Lin Manuel Miranda’s songs are lovely and the way he plays about with the lyrics is fantastic. You’re Welcome is an absolute choon (again, I can see why it’s so popular) and We Know the Way is perfect for the movie.
Overall the movie is really nice and I like watching it, though it’s not my favourite of the recent ‘princess movies’. It feels a bit similar to movies that Disney has made in the past: the heroine is a princess; she wants to be/do more than her society’s current expectations allow, but at the same time needs to know and understand herself through a journey of discovery; she feels connected to a body of water as some kind of representation of her uncontainable spirit and sings about it ('water is the metaphor'
; she sets out on a journey after the death of a close family member and then saves the world etc. It feels a bit like they chose the setting first, took elements of other Disney films and bolted them together, and then tried to make them fit into the setting they’d chosen. For the most part they’re successful, but they haven’t ended up with such an original film as their last few (Zootopia, Big Hero 6 etc.). Nonetheless, Moana is a fab film and Disney animation seems to be on a roll right now...I hope they don’t get distracted making live action films. Oh no, too late...