Good but not Disney's best

Rating: 7/10 (3 December 2016)

As I walked out of the theatre after watching Moana I overheard a kid say and echo my exact feelings, "that was goodI liked it but I don't think I want to watch it again." Moana is a good movie; it's well acted/voiced, has a free thinking lead, and enough quirky side characters to keep you entertained but it didn't have the touch of brilliance I've come to expect from Disney. Maybe Zootopia has set the bar too high this year. I grew up watching Disney movies which were all essentially love stories and the princess needed some sort of saving (although highly impressive even Mulan brought a prince charming home at the end). So, even though she's not technically a princess, Moana is refreshingly independent. There's no prince on the horizon and she does the saving here. But is that enough reason to love the movie? Maybe. Depends on who you ask.
Moana tells the tale of a young Moana who yearns to travel the seas but is held back by her father, the chief of the island they call home. She is groomed to become the leader of her people but is warned never to leave the island for the demigod Maui has incurred a centuries old curse which wrecks havoc on the seas. But the far too curious Moana must know what's out in the world and goes searching for Maui to set things right. It's a pleasant enough story but not one we haven't seen before. Curses and setting things right with the world aren't new themes and have been explored countless times before in Disney films. The movie still does a good job establishing a credible and very likable lead. Moana isn't afraid to go against the grain. She's brave and quite stubborn. And insists on saving the world, or her island, but it's the same thing. Had it been the world, I'm sure she would've managed as well.
Dwane Johnson plays Maui, the arrogant demigod, who has caused all the trouble and he is an absolute riot. I had no idea Mr. Johnson was so good at voice acting. He's effortless and hilarious. Newcomer Auli'i Carvalho, playing Moana, does a fantastic job as well. Maui and Moana have an easy chemistry which makes the movie very watchable. In fact it's their dedication to the characters and the scenes between them that are the highlights of the film. Even when you know what's to come you're eager to see them achieve it. I wasn't so much interested in the story as I was in their odd relationship.
The music, an inherent part of all Disney films, was the biggest disappointment. There are a lot of songs infused in the narrative but not one comes to mind after the movie is over. That's naturally a letdown since we expect to hum, get utterly sick of, and then hum again popular Disney tunes. Let's just say there's no 'Let it Go' to get addicted to in this movie.
Overall I liked the movie but I didn't love it. It has a nice message and I was glad to see a female character who wasn't a damsel in distress but I expect more. Merida from 'Brave' and Elsa from 'Frozen' have already shown us you don't need to focus on the princess' love life to make a movie work so let's do more next time, Disney. Chop chop.
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