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In a year where Walt Disney Animation already launched one of its top grossing
movies of all time (last spring’s “Zootopia”),
“Moana” is the icing on the corporate cake. Settling back into a musical groove
that hasn’t been explored since 2013’s “Frozen,” the company tries to restore a
little of their old big screen magic with this tale of high adventure in the
South Pacific. There are so many treats to unwrap in “Moana,” it feels like a
packed effort, with “Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” helmers Ron Clements and John
Musker creating a wonderful bigness to the picture, while also tending to its
heart. Traditional dramatic arcs remain to secure audience comfort, but it feels
like a fresh, alive film, giving the studio another lasting creative success.
Deep in the South Seas, a Maori island community is overseen by Chief Tui (Temuera
Morrison), who’s grooming his daughter, Moana (Auli’l Cravalho), for eventual
leadership, impressing on her the need to remain in place and not explore the
world waiting for her beyond the horizon. Restless but respectful, Moana tries
to fulfill her destiny, but resources are running out on the island, hit by a
curse triggered long ago by Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who stole a special mystical
stone from an island goddess. With her grandmother, Tala (Rachel House), urging
her to reach out into the unknown like her ancestors, Moana hits the high seas
with pet chicken Hei Hei, out to locate Maui and return the stone to its
rightful owner. A shape-shifting demigod who derives his magic from a massive
fish hook, Maui at first wants nothing to do with Moana, but soon understands
the urgency of the perilous mission.
There’s immediate beauty to “Moana,” which visits a blue and green realm of
island culture, spending initial moments setting up the concept of the missing
stone, which Maui absconds with, losing the emerald rock along the way due to
interference from a lava monster out to conquer the seas. Admittedly, there’s a
lot of heavy exposition at the start of the film, setting up a special conflict
that doesn’t involve a direct villain, putting focus on mythical origins and,
eventually, Moana and her people. Once settled into the tribal routine, “Moana”
delivers sumptuous visuals of community interaction, where families thrive on
coconut harvesting and fishing, introducing the first of many songs co-written
by “Hamilton” sensation Lin-Manuel Miranda. There’s sharp character design and a
blinding use of color, with Musker and Clements overseeing the creation of
absolute paradise in Moana’s home, her relationship to the ocean (which becomes
a living thing to assist her), and a rich sense of mystery as the teen girl,
urged on by Tala, begins to dig deeper into her past to support her future.
Themes of empowerment and sequences of bravery are common throughout “Moana,”
which keeps up Disney screenwriting traditions, delivering a wonderful hero into
the titular princess, who’s independent and a dreamer, but also vulnerable, in
need of Maui’s help to navigate the seas. She’s a spunky creation, paired with
the world’s dumbest chicken (the movie gets plenty of mileage out of Hei Hei’s
comedic uselessness), and the feature keeps her mission one from the heart,
aching to see a world she’s been forbidden to investigate, setting up an odyssey
that involves a problematic education in the ways of sailing and navigation, and
the securing of Maui’s services, with the demigod currently without his magical
fish hook. “Moana” follows the two around the ocean as they learn to trust each
other. Maui dismisses Moana at first, but soon recognizes her spirit, with his
conscience flowing through his living tattoos -- the dancing ink often siding
with the teenager. Maui is an egomaniac and selfish, but he quickly comes
around, especially when Moana proves her worth during a skirmish with tiny,
coconut-wearing pirates and a confrontation with Tamatoa (a scene-stealing
Jemaine Clement), a giant bedazzled crustacean living in a monster realm.
“Moana” comes up short in a few areas, including bellylaughs, finding Maui
better with sight gags than one-liners, despite Johnson’s expectedly
enthusiastic performance. However, there’s so much feeling to the feature,
including exceptional voice work from newcomer Cravalho, who brings such a
strong sense of personality and courage to her character. It’s easy to forgive a
little deficiency in the humor department when the lead performance is this
charismatic. “Moana” is pure eye candy, but there’s a journey here that holds
attention, offering cultural flair, lively characterizations, and a charming way
with myth and family. It’s a charmer, and one of the few Disney movies in recent
memory that’s easy to get lost in.
The star of "Moana" is, naturally, its title heroine, and credit Disney for
imagining an independent "princess" who has no love interest and never once lets
a man (dashing or otherwise) define her identity or future. As Moana moves
closer to her destination, themes of courage, teamwork, and the lasting imprint
of one's legacy rise valiantly in significance. Through it all, she stands up
for what she believes in, even if she must go against the wishes of protective
loved ones in order to succeed. It's a lesson everyone could stand to learn as
they grow up. There is nothing lacking in Moana's universal, progressive appeal.
She is a winning force, confidently standing alongside Ariel, Pocahontas and
Mulan. |
