Nice tunes, OK film

Rating: 8/10 (7 February 2017)

A good film, with great music.
Disney have gotten to the point where they no longer make movies, they make musicals. There have always been songs in Disneys films, but they were to convey something, not to hide the lack of plot. Disney has clearly spent a lot of time on the music, and the obligatory "I'll tell the audience what I want"-song is great. All the other songs sounds just a bit to much alike, with the exception of Maui's song. The first part of the film is well executed, the background of Moana's life, her relationship with her family and the world around her, hopes, dreams and wishes. It's great and emotional. But from the moment she takes off it feels more like you are watching a few shot films cut together into one. Every section so so disconnected from the rest that the plot is about as great as a 8-bit video game. There is the Disney "Minions" coconut army. There is the giant singing crab bit. There is the Te Fiti section. That is it! Inbetween those bits you have the same glue-like formula; Maui pushes Moana in the ocean, the ocean brings her back, the chicken is "derp", Moana talks about Maui's responsibility.
I liked the film, but I feel that it had more potential then what was done. The plot is weak and underdeveloped. Moana is the only character that has depth (well she better be since there are barley anyone else in the film). Maui is more of a bully older brother and his behavior gets old really fast. The chicken is a great comic relief, but really serves no purpose other than that through out the whole film. The best part is Moana's relationship with her grandmother, disregard that she comes back like a Jedi, a scene that actually made her previous death less emotional.
I don't regret watching the film, but when I look back I don't feel it was really worth going to the movies for. Unless you watch a massive IMAX 3D version, you might as well wait for the Blu-ray to come out.