Moana: Disney plays the same note, the good one

Rating: 8/10 (5 December 2016)

Firstly Moana will be incredibly popular. It's a tried and tested format of young prince/ princess finding themselves in the real world, as well as the characters, trials and tribulations that come with that (Tangled anyone?). The premise is simple, Moana, a young soon to be tribal leader of her people, feels the sea drawing her into an adventure which will ultimately save her people.
Based in the beautiful south pacific, the production does it justice with awe inspiring scenery and settings. The script follows a very Disney fan familiar route however it has proved timeless, inspiring and feel good for parents and children.
Like Frozen the main character Moana is joined by an unusual sidekick, as a snowman would like melt in the climate, a simple chicken substitutes. For adults, the bizarreness of it all made for some humour, however by the end I was wondering if it was morally questionable to be laughing at a mentally challenged sidekick, despite it being a chicken.
Dwayne Johnson was made for his role, not just considering his heritage, but acting as young Moana's unwilling tutor Maui, his presence captivates and dominates the screen.
Very much like Frozen, Moana provides a child friendly soundtrack. However to some viewers, including myself, the headline song "How far I'll go" was played throughout the film. I felt the song being crammed down my throat as "Let it go Take 2" and despite children enjoying the experience, the feeling of forcing it on the audience was obvious to the more experienced pallet. Also another scene (involving a huge octopus) had an extremely odd "Robbie Williams" type song, not in keeping with the genre and to be honest the whole scene just felt odd.
The final third of the film is, as already stated, inspiring and heart warming, leaving that nice fuzzy feeling that the Disney greats seem to do.
Your children will love this movie, and is a must-see for the festive season. A well made production, with a reasonable script, a tried and tested format and (for the most part) an enjoyable soundtrack, this movie is very good and deserving of 8*.