Disney’s newest film, Moana, is another example of stunning 3D animation. This film hits a sweet spot between realism and caricature, placing cartoon characters in a geographically believable landscape. Continued advances in computer animation have made this effect easier to achieve. While Pixar made waves in animation being the first to animate a feature length film in the ocean, Moana is the parent company Disney’s first project centered on the ocean.

Since this film is definitely worth seeing, I will not give away any major plot points. Instead, I would like to focus on my reactions and experience of watching the film, in addition to making comparisons to past Disney works.

Moana is the story of a strong-willed Polynesian girl who is the daughter of a chief. She lives with her family on a peaceful island but cannot seem to escape the call of the sea. The ocean beckons her to embark on a journey to discover her true identity. The moment that touched me the most was when Moana tells her grandmother she does not think she is strong enough to complete the task that has been set before her. Of course, Moana leaves her island and goes on a journey that will change her forever. I also enjoyed the personification of the ocean and Maui’s tattoos (Hercules reference?) which added a light dimension to what could easily become a serious story. The musical numbers were the catchy and unmistakably Disney. I enjoyed the movie as a whole and felt the ending was very satisfying.

One thing I disliked about the film was the voice talent that was chosen for Moana’s father and other male islanders, since they sounded Australian to me. The sparkly crab villain felt like an schmaltzy filler character that didn’t really add much to the plot (other than the bit with the fishhook), though his song was entertaining. At one point Maui makes an interesting expository statement, suggesting that if the ocean were truly all-powerful, it could complete the task without Moana’s help. Moana says she is going to “discover who she is” by returning the stolen heart to Te Fiti. This movie repeats the phrase “find out who you are” and “remember who you are” yet remains ambiguous about what that means. Moana has an emotional scene with Maui where her only comeback (with tears in her eyes….) is “I am Moana!” which seemed weak and vague. She does eventually state her identity more clearly, which satisfied me. Moana desires to provide an empowering message about self-discovery, but for me it was unclear what they meant with this type of language. I think that the main message of the film is that it is sometimes very challenging to discover “who you are” in a complex physical and spiritual world. In addition, a person’s experiences are important parts of their identity, since there is more to a person that what first meets the eye.

I would like to discuss the similarities between this film and previous Disney films. Moana sticks to the new Disney trend of girl-power, which is similar to Frozen and Brave. I was instantly reminded of The Lion King when Moana’s grandmother tells her that she will always be with her. There are so many elements of this film that were similar to Pocahontas, I could not help but think that this was a modern retelling of the iconic Disney film. Here are a few of the similarities I noted between the films:

1. Grandmother character that connects female character to the spirits of her ancestors (I think Moana’s grandmother could have looked older…the animation of the few wrinkles she had was stunning. Her skin looked real.)
2. Dramatic scenes running through nature
3. Dramatic scenes of flowers/pink leaves swirling around main character in the wind
4. Important role of water (important decisions are made on or near water)
5. Two animal sidekicks (one chunky mammal and one bird)
6. Important round object (the heart stone and the compass)
7. Both films include musical numbers of harmonious communal cultures (harvesting, storytelling, etc.)
8. Both cultures are connected to nature and center on family/spiritual realms
9. Daughters of chiefs who rebel and choose not to listen to their dads

These similarities are not negative, just intriguing. Historical issues aside, Pocahontas was a highly successful Disney film both musically and visually. The main difference between Moana and Pocahontas would be the former film’s lack of a love interest. I think it would have been interesting to include more about Moana’s relationships with her family and friends, as those characters play little to no role in the film. Overall, Moana is a refreshing twist on the classic tale of the hero’s journey paired with beautifully animated images.