While having a little google of this film I saw a headline that said that Disney changed the film's title to make sure it didn't get confused with a porn star. I have nothing else to add to that, just thought it was a fun little tidbit. 'Moana' (2016) is a film that was also obviously watched by the same niece who forced 'Tangled' (2010) upon me on several occasions. Luckily for me, however, I was living elsewhere during this period and so managed to avoid endless viewings of this film so this is only my second time watching it. I enjoyed it the first time, do I still feel the same second time around. The film follows the titular Moana (Auli'i' Cravalho) who is the daughter of a chieftain. The island that she lives on is quickly becoming inflicted with a curse that was caused by a Demigod named Maui (Dwayne Johnson) when he stole the heart of Te Fiti, the giver of life. Moana is chosen by the ocean to find Maui and help him return the heart to Te Fiti before the cure wipes out her island.
'Moana' is another very solid outing from Disney. Although not up with their best films it is still a very good one and I enjoyed it, maybe even more so the second time around for reasons that we will get to later down the line. Although I do enjoy the film it is not perfect. The narrative, on the whole, is fine, but it is a very simple one and follows a formula that has been used in a thousand other films. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing and the film does tell the story well with enough tweaks and changes to keep it interesting. But because the structure of the narrative is very formulaic you do know exactly where it is going from the beginning. It also has narrative themes that aren't explored all that well, or that don't have satisfying resolutions, namely the relationship between Moana and her father which is a conflict that is dropped quite early into the film and resolved instantly towards the end. There is also something I want to point out, and I'll admit this is properly nitpicky. Moana manages to sail herself to Maui and is shown to be a pretty decent sailor if not an expert. Yet, once she finds Maui and asks him to teach her how to do it she suddenly has no idea what she is doing. I told you it was nitpicky but still, it bugged me. Despite these issues with the narrative it is mostly a very fun time, due to some great characters. Moana is a fun character whose willpower and confidence in her abilities make her endearing, but as a teenager she also acts her age occasionally, throwing tantrums and the sort. Maui is also a great character, helped by a wonderful voice performance from Dwayne Johnson. But my favourite two characters in the film are voiceless, and these are Hei Hei, a and the sea, mostly because they are the two funniest characters. Yes, the sea has a personality and sense of humour, don't ask me. The musical numbers in the film are a mixed bag. They're all good, but even having just watched it I only remember three of them. But none of these reasons are why I truly enjoy this film. The reason I think this film is very good is because it is visually stunning.
I am not an animator, but I have heard that animating realistic looking water is one of the more difficult things you can do and this film fucking nails it. I mean Jesus the water animations in this film are beautiful. It's not just one aspect of the ocean that they focus on either, they animate it in all states. Calm and inviting, rough and dangerous, and everything in between the animators did not shy away and they nailed it every single time. It isn't just the ocean that is animated brilliantly though, the whole film is done superbly. The animation is often at its best during the action scenes which hare a ton of fun, exciting, and a visual treat. These moments of action, especially the attack by the coconut pirates, are the best parts of the film just for the pure fun of them. But the film also has a couple of quieter moments that are visually stunning. One of these moments comes right at the begging where Moana, as a baby, walks out into the sea which has opened up for her. You sea coral reefs and sea turtles swimming either side of her and the way it is animated and the colours they use create a gorgeous visual. Another moment of visual brilliance comes during a vision Moana has of her ancestors sailing from island to island. There is a brief moment in this sequence that is just beautiful, and it is when all the boats are illuminated by moonlight. It is a brilliant image especially with the light of the moon bouncing off the water. It is another moment in the film that shows the skill of the animators and I applaud them for what they achieved with this film.
'Moana' is a film that is lifted by its visuals. The narrative is told well despite the formulaic nature of it, and it has good moments of humour and emotion. The characters are memorable and fun and the music within the film is very solid, if not all that memorable ('How Far I'll Go' and 'You're Welcome' not included). But the reason that I see myself coming back to this film in the future is for the pure visual treat. The animation in the film is incredible and there are several truly beautiful visual moments in the film. On a purely visual level this is one of Disney's best, but on the whole it probably in that middle tier. It is a definite recommendation. It is a fun film and the visuals alone are worth the watch alone.