I questioned the move when Disney Animation Studios started making computer animated feature films despite having Pixar in their arsenal but they have put out some gems on the big screen and have given Pixar a run for their title as the best animation studio. Moana joins in pretty good company with Big Hero 6, Zootopia, and instant classic Frozen in the Disney computer animation catalog. The question is, can it hold its own alongside these big screen juggernauts or does it get lost in the shuffle? I think this movie stands out above all expectations and can be classified as another classic under the belt of Disney Animation Studios.
Disney brings a unique setting to this movie by focusing on a Polynesian tribe living on an island which they are scared of leaving. Unfortunately, their island is dying thanks to the actions of the shape-shifting demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson) since he stole the heart of the ancient goddess that brought life to the islands. Now there is darkness and death infecting the island so the princess of the Tribe, Moana Waialiki (Auli’i Cravalho) sets out to find Maui against her father’s wishes with the luckiest chicken of all time as her sidekick. Moana wants him to return the heart and rid her island of the darkness that has been plaguing it. She does not come unequipped. Since she has been “chosen” by the ocean, she has been given the ability to control the water around her to help her along her journey.
This movie does so many things right. It might tell the usual Disney princess story of leaving your family to carve out your own path but its story is unique enough that it keeps you invested in Moana’s journey. Her relationship with her family, mainly with her father and grandmother, is a very important plot line and shows the contradicting views that influenced her throughout her life. Her father wants her to be the leader of the tribe and to never leave the island while on the other hand, her grandmother encourages her to follow her destiny and travel away from the island to find out who she is meant to be. This dynamic gives you a better look at who Moana is as a young woman growing up, predetermined to be a ruler of the island. As a leader, she makes the tough decision early on to ensure the future of the tribe stays intact by venturing off the island.
Since this is a Disney movie, you are going to be treated with original songs and an outstanding score. The songs in this movie might not be as catchy as the songs in Frozen but they fit this movie’s setting and characters perfectly. A good mix of original melodies along with Polynesian tribal chants and a stellar orchestra keeps your heart thumping throughout the action sequences bringing this animated movie to life like only Disney knows how. The soundtrack will definitely be worth a listen once you finish the feature film.
This movie also brought in the biggest name in Hollywood, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, to play the Demi-God, Maui, which Moana must find to save her people. Unfortunately, this is probably my only downfall in the movie. I understand the box office draw that ‘The Rock’ brings to any film he graces but from the first time I heard Maui speak I felt it was out of place compared to the voices of the other characters. This might be due to the fact that the Rock has appeared in so many movies in the past couple of years that his voice is instantly familiar and throughout the film I kept trying to convince myself that I was hearing Maui’s voice but I just kept picturing Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson every time he spoke. His character was entertaining with some funny one liners and some brief exploration into his past to shed light on some of his flaws, which shows he isn’t as perfect as he portrays himself to be. The voice was a little distracting but did not take away any of the magic the movie was filled with.
This is certainly not as good as the worldwide phenomenon of Frozen but it is a very close second. This is yet another excellent work of art by Disney Animation Studios that truly everyone in the family can sit down, watch and enjoy together. If they keep pumping out this quality of computer animated movies like they have been doing since Tangled then they really are giving Pixar a run for their crown.
Reel Talk gives Moana 3.5 Reels
