5 stars

When the trailers and advertisements for Moana were first released, I was highly skeptical of Disney Movie’s ability to create a film which would be both culturally appropriate and entertaining.

The movie opens with a very Hercules reminiscence beginning, with the narration of an origin myth that explains the background for the story. The myth is both complex and interesting with the capacity to captivate listeners and establishes immediately that this will be a good movie.

With every scene the movie gets better and better, weaving the tale of a girl longing to help her community in any way she can with beautiful songs and the tales of a culture. I have to admit that I do not know much about Polynesian cultures. However, from what I could see in the movie, Disney made a conscious effort to align the myths told in Moana with the cultures of various Pacific Islands. Although the cultural aspect could be better and Disney could have been more culturally aware, the company has taken a big step with the release of this movie toward respecting the values and traditions of other cultures.

Polynesian culture, which is widely seen in Moana, made the movie even better. It added another layer to the story and made the story interesting, even during scenes where it was just Moana and her boat in the middle of the ocean. The story arc of demigod Maui adds a nice juxtaposition to the character of Moana, creating humor at moments that could have been perceived as boring.

Even better than the story of Moana, however, is the animation. The effects look realistic and at times it’s difficult to remember that this is an animated movie. The effects which were used to create the sea and the waves make it feel as if you are stranded in the middle of the ocean, along with Moana. Although the story itself is amazing, the animation adds feeling to the movie making Moana a truly exceptional movie.

This is a Disney movie that everyone should watch, regardless of how old you are.