The Princess and the Sea

Rating: 8/10 (6 December 2016)

(RATING: ☆☆☆☆ out of 5) THIS FILM IS RECOMMENDED. IN BRIEF: A predictable but lively animated feature with superb visuals that follow its winning formula all too safely. GRADE: B SYNOPSIS: A new Disney Princess arrives to tell her story of self discovery. JIM'S REVIEW: Moana, Disney's latest animated offering is more of the same: lovely visuals, predictable but uplifting story, a peppy music score, and a heroine you can certainly root for. The formula may be winning, but, in all honesty, it is a little weary. Now, girl power is a good thing...don't get me wrong...I just want a little more from this creative studio. (My expectations are high from their track record.) Still, this film is entertaining to the max, and the artistry and creativity involved help to elevate this tale from standard family fare. Yes, the Disney Studio knows its way to success. It follows a set formula that has worked for years: Introduce a modern day princess. Check. Add feel-god vibes. Check. Bring in a comic sidekick. Check. Show journey of self-discovery though impressive animation. Check. Mix in a colorful villain or two. Check. Don't forget some catchy tunes. Check. All leading to the ultimate happy ending. Well, what do you think? The screenplay, by Jared Bush, goes like this: A curse has befallen the island of Motunui, and Moana, the chief's daughter, is determined to rectify the ecological imbalance. So she sails off to find a demigod named Maui to help her. Together they join forces to make the world a better place. The script refuses to dumb down its plot, but it doesn't stimulate the mind in its basic conventional set-up. The end result is a purely visceral movie-going experience due to the high caliber of artistic excellence on view. Moana is a visual delight. The computer generated and hand drawn animation mix well. The details are impressive: Water has a transparent shimmer; colors glow with an iridescent radiance, varying textures from sand to wood to leafy vegetation impress, the characters have an expressive stylized purity. Particularly engaging are Maui's inky hieroglyphic tattoos that spring to life to tell their own stories. Special kudos go out to a terrific music score by Mark Mancina that has the right percussion rhythms of the Polynesian culture and nifty original songs with clever lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa'i that advance the plot. Along with Dwayne Johnson as the Polynesian demigod, Auli'i Cravalho voices Moana and they both do some wonderful vocal contributions to the film. Providing fine vocal support too are Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, and especially Jermaine Clement, who nearly steals the film with his show-stopping production number, Shiny, (although the inspired connection to The Little Mermaid is too obvious). There is also comic relief in the form of a dim-witted rooster named Helhel, that younger moviegoers will love. Moana remains a well-crafted project, beautifully rendered and well received by both critics and audience members. It is solidly directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. But the predictability factor does impair this South Pacific tale and all the wonderful surface treatment and artistry could not hide its simplistic and familiar narrative. A feeling of "been there / done that" does seep into the film's overall impact. (In a year of glorious entries that brought forth such classic works like Kubo and the Two Strings and Zootopia, also by the Disney Studio, who couldn't ask for more of that perfect level of animation and story?) Wanting more daring innovation in my animated features is a worthy goal. So I still look forward to the artisans at Disney Studio and their next venture. The talent is there, in full force, but the Mouse Factory needs to stop playing it so safely and find more challenging projects. Stories that surprise and whet the intellect are not that far a reach. Call me a cockeyed optimist. NOTE: There was a tad bit of controversy of the depiction of Maui. Disney Studios bulked him up from his more recognizable well-toned physique and critics cried foul of this revamped stereotypical reincarnation. There are bigger issues in life. Nuff said.