Rating: 4.5/5
Animation and mythology are two of my favourite things, so, when I went to see MOANA, I had good reasons to think I would like it. Disney didn't disappoint. The most original aspect of this feature is the structure of the narrative. It's a journey in every sense, starting with Moana questioning her role in the world, wondering if she can aspire to something more than spending the rest of her life on her island. Then she takes this abstract journey to a new physical level when she decides to sail beyond the riff and find her purpose. Moana is a powerful character, an active heroine rather than a passive princess; in case it isn't clear enough, she repeats this mantra a few times, which is what I like the least about her. The first time it seems a cute and witty way to make fun of the Disney princess stereotype, admirable for Disney's display of self-awareness and irony, but the second and third times are just overkill. Maui reminds me of the Norse god Loki and the African spider-god Anansi. It's fascinating to see through this film how similar myths can be, no matter the geographical and chronological distance between the people that create them. I really appreciate the taste of Polynesian mythology that MOANA offers, with references that are both interesting and thoroughly explained without being excessive. The main core of the film is indeed the human race and the journey of men to find their own identity. A character that I didn't expect to like so much is certainly Tomatoa, the giant crab Maui has to fight in order to retrieve his hook. Tomatoa's song, "Shiny," shows us the crab's character arc as a minor villain in less than three minutes: he humiliates Maui, toys with his prey, and nearly kills both the demi-god and Moana. He is a much more effective villain than the major opponent in the story! I highly recommend this story to fans of myths and adventure!
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October 2017
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