‘Moana’ Review: A Delightful Look into Island Culture

Many times we are given antiquated and often cliched forms of heroes and heroines. It is enjoyed because is it often the norm and that is embraced. However, when films showcase the exception they can then shine as a unique piece of work. In the often crowded Disney landscape ‘Moana’ stands out as the exception. Whether it is through her persistent attitude of dedication to the task at hand she shines throughout the entire movie.

One of the aspects of the film that makes it so refreshing is the location and overall theme of the movie. We are shown a tropical island nation that has aspects of Hawaiian culture as well as other Pacific and Eastern Island influences. It is something that we are not shown often and to get a look into their world is enlightening. All of the islands we visit are all representative of their unique culture from the people living on it and it represents them all well. Including Lalotai, the realm of monsters.

The individual islands are important and the locations are depicted amazingly through their colour. Colour is an important part of the film and not only do we get to understand emotion, we get to look into the mood of the story. Vibrant fluorescent colour permeates throughout every scene and it sets a beautiful backdrop for the characters to interact with. The sunsets and sunrises are magnificent but what took my breath away was the detail in the storms and the stars. The parts where most often there is just a common look is where the film shines.

The film boasts a small but dynamic cast led by Auli’i Cravalho as Moana, Dwayne Johnson as Maui and my favorite Jermaine Clement as Tamatoa. Auli’i is a newcomer to the acting world and not only does she hold her own against other talents she brings not only a youthful innocence but also a depth that shows that she truly has the power inside her to be a powerful person. One of my favorite moments is shown below as Maui has issues with his transformation powers and ends up as half shark half himself. 

Overall the film spends its time right where it needs to because its small cast and we get to truly focus in on Moana as the film progresses. The emotions are brought out even more by the score by Mark Mancina and original songs by Mancina, Opetaia Foa’i  and, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Not only do the songs work but they are intertwined with the score and other themes so that we feel the flow of the music throughout the entire 105-minute runtime. The score adds weight to all the scenes and truly gives the tribal songs weight while allowing us as viewers to go on this ride with Moana and Maui.

Now that the film is on Streaming/Blu-ray I would definetly reccomend getting the family together for a relaxing evening and going on this island adventure with Moana. Not only does it have heart but it also boasts great visuals and an even better message.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Images Courtesy of Disney