Moana

As promised on Twitter, here's my unconventional fourth addition to the Animation Advent Calendar. Instead of going somewhere snowy like Arendelle, we're gonna travel thousands of years back to the sunny Motonui. The second Disney animated film released this year after Zootopia, this would also be the second Disney film to focus on Polynesian culture af
ter 2002's Lilo & Stitch. To be honest, I hadn't really thought much of it because I was focusing a bit more on Zootopia, but I was still very very intrigued by it, mostly because of the setting, cast (including The Rock himself and newcomer Auli'i Cravalho) and music composed by Hamilton's very own Lin-Manuel Miranda. So will this be as beautiful as the ocean itself, or will this be as bad as feeling seasick?

Story: I may as well just get out of the why that the story follows that same Disney formula of a snarky guy & free spirited girl going on an adventure that's been used since The Princess and the Frog, but unlike the others, there's no romance between them (for obvious reasons). And admittedly, this can be a doubled edged sword now because it felt a bit predictable after seeing it for seven years, just with a different setting and themes. And I will admit, Moana's story felt a tad familiar with the trope of the overprotective father forbidding her to go out to the ocean, even if I give credit that Moana goes out of her way to show that she truely cares about the people in Motonui. However, that doesn't mean that it's bad. Thanks to the execution, what I got out of it was something amazing, emotional and funny. Moana and Maui's adventure is really where the film picks up thanks to the mix of action, humour and emotions as they have to bring back the heart of the island Te Fiti. Thanks to the vastly creative world that the movie is set in, it really leaves you with a feeling of adrenaline whenever Moana and Maui have to defeat different creatures to get to their goal.

Animation: Yeah, there's no denying that the animation in this movie is absolutely gorgeous! The character designs still manage to have that Disney look to them while still capturing a respectful look of Polynesians and the various creatures of Lalotai and the Kakamora all also look very zany and creative. Without a doubt the attention to detail throughout is just perfect. From the outfits of the villagers, the houses, the tapestries and even the boat, they all really capture the Polynesian culture. The same can also be shown in the backgrounds, filled with vast islands and very colourful areas like the aforementioned Lalotai. However, one massive priase I must give is the ocean. The rendering is absolutely spectacular up to the point that it looks almost photorealistic! Another thing to note is that all the tattoos on Maui are actually hand drawn & the way it's integrated into the film is amazing & it helps that it's really frequently, becoming a character itself. Overall, the animation really helps enhance the movie's Polynesian setting and Disney's ever growing innovation, and I must say it really pays off.

Characters: Moana (newcomer Auli'i Cravahlo) is the daughter of Chief Tui who longs for adventure outside of her home. However, this doesn't make her selfish or whiny because the movie goes out of it's way to show that while she longs to go sailing the open seas, she deeply loves and respects the people of her island and genuinely wants to be a good chief for them. It's not like other movies where they want to go away from their homes forever and leave them behind. Maui (Dwayne Johnson) the almighty demi-god is mostly a big-shot & egotistical towards Moana at the start, but there's a sense of sympathy for him as all he wants is to be seen as a hero for the people becuase of his surprisingly tragic backstory of how he got his powers. And with Johnson's performance, it thankfully shows his true acting talents (not that I ever doubted him in the first place despite his embarrassing stint of family comedies). Moana's grandmother, Gramma Tala (Rachel House) is the supportive 'crazy village lady' grandmother who also loves water, but since the movie really dives into her relationship with her granddaughter, she really is such a likable character. Her parents Tui (Temuera Morrison) & Sina (Nicole Scherzinger) can really be qualified as the overprotective father a'la King Triton and the loving mother, even if they clearly have pride in their daughter that she'll be a chief to look up to. Moana's sidekicks, Pua (Puanani Cravalho) and Heihei (Alan Tudyk. Yes, really.) can be adorable and very funny thanks to their personalities, but I felt that Pua was wasted because he doesn't go on with Moana on her adventure. Don't get m wrong, Heihei was very funny thanks to his dim-witted personality, but I personally like Pua more cos of his adorable personality. Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement) is one of the side villains they have to go through to get Maui's hook. Despite his short screen time, Clement's funny and charismatic performance really makes him memorable. And thankfully, unlike recent Disney flicks, this doesn't have the twist of a secret villain. In fact, there isn't really any main antagonist when getting down to it. I know there's the Kakamora, Tamatoa and Te Ka, but they're more obstacles for Moana and Maui to go through. Despite the side characters not being quite as developed, it's great to see that the two main leads are very likeable.

Songs: Written by Hamilton's Lin Manuel-Miranda, Opetaia F'oai and Te Vaka, there's no denying that they'll all created such an incredible soundtrack. From the sneak peek of We Know The Way in the very first teaser, I was immediately hooked into the music and it did not disappoint. Songs like Where You Are, Know Who You Are, the aforementioned We Know The Way and I Am Moana really respect the Polynesian culture by incorporating their traditions and making them highly memorable. Others like You're Welcome and Shiny go for a more fun tone to highlight both Maui and Tamatoa along with showcasing very very fun visuals. And finally, there's the traditional I Want song, How Far I'll Go. Undeniably an ear worm which rivals Let it Go, it really showcases Cravalho's stirring voice and how far Moana will go to both follow her dreams and be a good chief for her people. Well crafted, fun, emotional and unforgettable, this is definitely the cherry on the top for this movie.

While it may not have been as good as Zootopia, Moana is still a highly enjoyable Disney film with an engaging yet tad familiar story, gorgeous animation, well written protagonists and amazing music. I without a doubt recommend that you go and see this movie if you can because it really is worth watching despite the few flaws it has. And by the way, if you stay long enough, there is a very funny post-credits scene and a small cameo from another fairly popular Disney character. As for my thoughts on the short Inner Workings...you'll have to find out in my separate review of it which I'll do soon.
Story:😊
Animation:😁
Characters:😊
Songs:😁
Overall:😆