Day 50, I can’t believe I have reached this checkpoint. Another film released in 2016. Is it any good?
Moana is from the people who brought us Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. It is a tour de force when it comes to emotional punches and truly is return to form for Disney with its incredibly intricate introduction to new characters, its large-scale world building and its truly extraordinary talent behind the music. The animation is magic.
Moana tells the story of the title character who lives on a Polynesian island somewhere in the Atlantic ocean. It recognises the natural habitat and folklore of the surrounding islands and it sews seeds for the great tale which takes Moana on a journey of self-discovery and friendship at the sea. She meets Maui (played by Dwayne Johnson) who is a demi-god and has lived for a thousand years. Wanting him to return a stone to bring back life to the island she left thanks to the corruption occurring all around her. Along the way, we meet a whole host of characters such as the chicken Heihei, the giant crab Tamatoa and my personal favourite; the ocean itself.
The story is fun and adventurous and takes Moana, Maui and Heihei across the ocean in a humorous yet strong character development which showcases Disneys talent to always remind the audience that family is forever. It is an incredible achievement on both a story level and a technical level thanks to its beautiful animation from Disneys Animation Studio which is separate from Pixar. Maui’s hair and tattoos are very responsive to the actions that the character takes with the latter having a persona of his own. It’s both hilarious and sweet thanks to the portrayal of the sweet animation. Did I mention that Maui’s tattoos were all hand drawn then digitised into the computer? Disney has returned to the roots that made them great in the first place.
The score was drafted by Lin-Manuel Mirinda who currently is massive on Broadway for his play Hamilton. The music is incredibly subtle and packs a large punch thanks to the Polynesian style and beat which made it big for replays across the Spotify playlist lovers. The songs are very personal because it showcases the mind of Moana and Maui as they cross the ocean. The Polynesian language in the songs also adds a sense of authenticity and also very catchy. I myself have listened to some of the songs on full blast while smiling across the city.
The main attraction in the film in my eyes is the character of the ocean. How did Disney create a character out of the environment and make me feel like it was an essential part of the story. The animation and fluid detection in the film is second to none. It is beautiful. We are really living in the future of cinema.
Overall a beautiful return to form for Disney after Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia. All are fantastic, but this is even better.
Should you watch it: YES
Should You Watch It? 