Moana: Movie Review

"Moana" is another winner for Disney. There are countless ways for audiences of all ages to love the animated film. The lush and vibrant setting, the wonderful and lovable characters, the as-expected award-winning soundtrack, and most importantly, a timeless story with a life and meaning of its own. "Moana" is a stunner as it is moving.

Ever since she was a kid, Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) was drawn to the sea. Her father, Chief Tui (Temuera Morrison), opposes to her innate desires and guides her to stay in the island and follow in his footsteps to one day lead their people. When the island is threatened by a terrible darkness that has sucked the life out of the trees, fishes and animals, Moana breaks her father’s rules and sets sail on an epic adventure to find the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and force him to return goddess Te Fiti's Heart and save her people.

We don't even know where to start with "Moana" - the whole package is simply a jaw-dropping experience. The visuals were satisfying on a whole new level crossing the boundaries of the animated and realism. The animations were smooth and crisp that even the 2D animations of Maui's tattoos were entertaining to watch. The various Polynesian scenery were our favorites though. The film was able to capture the wondrous feel of the mostly tropical setting and there were numerous chances where we questioned if scenes were shot for real. While the visuals did help a lot to bring much character into the film, the main characters were extremely lovable and relatable that even a dumb chicken was actually one of the best vehicles of humor in the movie. As for Moana, she is in fact a different kind of princess or heroine and probably the most radical yet that Disney has produced. We totally dig what Disney has created here. The soundtrack is another winner in our books but we felt that the film could have used more songs. Finally, the story was formulaic at its core but had a lot of surprises near the end. "Moana" continues the string of incredible movies that Disney has produced. It is both radical and familiar and there's something to love for every age group and gender.

Rating: 5 reels






Why you should watch it:
- another Disney hit that is perfect for all age groups
- the visuals are one of the best we've seen yet
- the soundtrack should win awards soon

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the film could have needed more songs
- the story was formulaic at its core

Photo Credit: WALT DISNEY STUDIOS.