Moana excels because of its excellent imagery/visuals and wonderful performance/characterisation

Rating: 8/10 (23 December 2016)

While the trailers did absolutely nothing for me, the film is nothing but a pleasant and enjoyable surprise.
Moana's characterisation is top-notch here, evident through the titular character herself; Moana is depicted as a skilled, warm-hearted and kind-natured girl on a journey to discover her true identity, creating an inspiring tale that deserves to be taken to audience's hearts as they did to the female leads of Frozen - if not, even more so because, quite frankly, this is a far superior film. Cravalho's passionate voice performance is magnificent and infectious, making her the perfect fit for the role, coming across a very sweet but headstrong character - very often at the same time. She is one of Disney's most well-defined and sketched characters of all time, with her determination not going unnoticed in a moment of film's entire runtime, giving the film a great focus through and through. Maui is far more one-dimensional than Moana but even he is awarded his own character arc that depicts his realisation that Moana is far more skilled than he gives her credit for, with Johnson capturing his journey with great enthusiasm. The story is one that, although not revolutionary and sometimes in need of a little shake up and few more risks being taken, is an inspiring watch and totally engrossing. Moana's first act features some of the best work in the genre of all time, acting as a masterclass in introducing characters, building a world and setting-up a story without ever overwhelming audiences. A few minutes could be trimmed from the second act, including an entire scene where the pair attempt to recapture Maui's magical fishhook, which feels squarely aimed at younger children while only slowing down the thrill and enchanting journey for everyone else (it feels more Illumination than Disney), but the runtime generally races by in a whirlwind of beauty and inspiration. Its feminist influence, while clear, remain subtle and nuanced enough to avoid feeling completely forced upon audiences, whilst still managing to inspire those smart and mature enough to understand them.
FULL REVIEW - http://perksofbeingnath.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/moana-2016-review.html