fun music and compelling characters

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2016)

Moana is told the story of Maui (Dwayne Johnson) by her Gramma Tala. Maui is the warrior demigod who has a magical fishing hook which allows him to change shape. He had stolen the goddess Te Fiti's heart but he's attacked by the volcano demon Te Kā. He lost the heart and his hook. A darkness descended on the world. The people stopped exploring and the fish are disappearing. Moana's father Chief Tui forbids her from going beyond the reefs. Moana is given the heart by the sea and she disobeys her father to go exploring. She finds Maui and together, they battle coconut pirates and Te Kā to return the heart to Te Fiti.
There is a lot going for this movie. The animation is beautiful. The characters are compelling. There is a bit humor and an interesting adventure. Lin-Manuel Miranda adds his Broadway musical skills to create a few catchy tunes. It does follow the successful recent Disney formula of an empowered young girls overcoming dire odds and low sexist expectations. The filmmakers seem to know the expectations and even Moana rebels against being called a princess. The formula may be familiar but the setting is new. Overall, this simply works.