Another beautiful and memorable classic from Disney

Rating: 9/10 (26 December 2016)

Moana falls in line next to Tangled and Frozen as an instant classic 'Disney Princess' movie. The stand-out performance of Auli'i Cravalho as the voice of Moana carried the emotional weight of the movie through some of Disney's most beautiful songs to date, while Dwayne Johnson's experience as an actor provided the necessary humour and comedy to support the young Hawaiian-born actress in her acting debut. Dwayne Johnson's performance singing 'You're Welcome' was also a very pleasant surprise.
The supporting cast is also full of surprises, and so many of the lesser songs are still immensely moving. The film is certainly transported from scene to scene by the music, and the native languages featured in some of the numbers shows Disney's respect and appreciation of the culture they're exploring.
Disney's animation has also taken another leap, and the quality of the movie's visuals is surpassed only by the immense care and detail the animators showed in every scene.
It has its issues, of course, as all films do. The plot is predictable, and as bitter-sweet as the ending is, it's certainly not going to be a surprise. As is the case with all animated family films, there is rarely a fear of the protagonist being in any significant danger, and a happy ending is inevitable.
If you want a feel-good movie with fun songs, good laughs, and a simply happy, yet still rewarding ending, Moana is definitely the top movie of 2016 for you.