Moana (2016, PG)

I was excited for Moana even before the announcement that Lin-Manuel Miranda would be one of its composers.  (After?  Epic levels of anticipation.)  Disney has another beauty on their hands with a fine new princess to add to their collection.

Moana, daughter and heir to an island chief, has always longed for the sea, but her father has warned her away from it her entire life.  But when their ever-providing island starts to fail them, Moana digs deep to harness the spirit of her voyager ancestors and goes on an incredible journey to restore the island.  Her quest takes her to Maui, a demigod trickster who’s spent the past thousand years living on his own hype, and the unlikely pair braves monsters and unsteady seas, along with their own doubts about themselves.

Okay, so I love this movie.  I love that Moana can be self-assured and yet totally faking it within the same breath, talking herself into confidence she doesn’t quite feel.  I love her adventurous spirit, her love for her people, and her deep-rooted connection to her people’s history.  She’s brave and tough, and while she’s in way over her head, she learns quickly on the fly and doesn’t give up.  As Disney princesses go, she’s an admirable one.  Maui is pretty great, too – a demigod who’s very human in his defense mechanisms.  His vibe with Moana is somewhat reminiscent of the Genie with Aladdin (albeit a lot more unwilling,) which is always a good thing in my book. 

I know that other non-European Disney musicals have been called out for how they portray other cultures (see Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Mulan to varying degrees.)  I don’t claim any knowledge of Polynesian culture, but as an admitted layperson, this film strikes me as very true.  I enjoy the details of the islanders’ way of life, the animation on the boats is gorgeous, and overall, the tone feels respectful to me.  In addition to the aforementioned Miranda, the score also features songs by Samoan/New Zealand musician Opetaia Foa’i, who writes in his native Tokelauan.

Speaking of the songs?  They’re amazing.  I bought the soundtrack before seeing the movie but held off listening to it until afterwards.  I had a three-and-a-half hour car trip shortly after watching the film, and did I follow my initial plan to alternate between the soundtrack and other music?  Nope.  Solid Moana all the way!  “How Far I’ll Go,” Moana’s “I want” song, is the big-ticket item here, but Maui’s fun “You’re Welcome” and the beautiful “An Innocent Warrior” are also fantastic.  Really, the whole score is wonderful.  Miranda’s work just bleeds heart, making him a perfect composer for Disney, and Foa’i’s music adds to the film’s steeped-in-culture feel.

The Rock clearly has a blast playing Maui (along with surprisingly-decent pipes!), but Auli’i Cravalho is an absolute revelation as Moana in her first-ever role.  She’s fierce, funny, touching, and relatable, and her singing voice is glorious.  I feel like, any time a Hollywood executive justifies whitewashing by complaining that “there are no Asian movie stars,” they should be shown Moana to learn how to rectify that problem:  find some fantastic Asian talent, give her an amazing role, and make an Asian movie star, that’s how.

Warnings

Scary moments for kids and thematic elements.