Member review

So Moana.

Finally! A movie review on an Disney movie!

If your wondering why did it took me that long, you see I have a bunch to talk about the other movies that just gets in the way. Also I did re-watched this movie because if you can recall I said in my Shrek review that Moana is the most overrated movie. Looking back at it, I was like: "Perhaps I treated you too harshly."

But hey, that's humans, they just contradict themselves! Anyways, I did re-watched it and did it win me over? Well, it did, however I don't think its a classic what many people acclaimed to be.

Yeah this was for the upcoming sequel is the main reason why I watched it, look i'm trying my best not to promote any upcoming movies because it makes the review feel like a product which I'm trying not to do (dam you hollywood, you sly money ,hungry, maker, machine).

Also, no Schaffrillas Productions didn't influnce the whole Disney to make the sequel and the stupid remake. It was liked at the when it first release anyways, I said that because for clarification because he is big follower base in Youtube and no I don't think he flunce the entire community, he just really likes Moana, I do respect him a lot ,its that there is some opinions he says I don't fully argee with. And that's fine.

So without a further-a-do let's set sail:

The animation is great: For the positives, first off the animation is is amazing. Well if you didn't know me, I'm an lover for any 2D animation and prefer it. But credit is due I love it, the animator Andrew Chesworth is such a great animator (if you didn't know he has a Youtube channel with the same name and the lead Disney animator from Tangled to Olaf's Frozen Advenutre). Love the scene where Moana's father shows her the stones, the colours are very vibrant and I love pink colours here. In fact that's actually the biggest highlight for me, to the texture and small details. The contrast of colour palette is beautiful!

E.g when Moana got wash (or flushed) away she raise up and the mini bits of sand comes off or the colourful ocean. it such good high quality stuff and also the cinematograhpy is great.

E.g the movie shows Te Fiti, they show the whole island which they didn't need to do but they did. It goes hard, I love it.

The music is fantastic: I love the musical, its a love letter to Tahiti culture. It embraced it and its a concept that has never been done before and the movie take that advantage. It also like great musicals, it also conveys the audiences of the characters, like How Far I'll Go is about Moana choosing should she be the future or should she be going out to the ocean again. You're Welcome song is iconic, I just can't get over "Your Welcome" or "I see what's happening here" part.

I love the We Know The Way, its just so cinematic about it. Like the people are excited for the new island and it also conveys that they used to embraced voyagers.

The comedy is not my thing: Okay, its complaining time, if your a lover of it. This would triggered you but be civil here, this is just my opinion (well actually this is my nerdy entitled opinion).

The comedy is not the worst out there, but it just didn't do it for me. The comedy is just too in face for my liking if you get what I mean. It's just a commentary humour which I'm not into. But there a few jokes I did laugh, like when Maui saws Moana, he screams and instantly drop it like he's in a heart attack or something. Also Hei Hei is a fine sidekick, he is just this stupid chicken that wants to end himself when he realised that he in the middle of the ocean. But the screaming isn't very to me, it reminds me of the annoying goat screaming joke.

The pig, just exist. Nothing else to say.

Like when Maui draws a love heart on Moana's and says that's tweeting. A joke that is obviously Twitter joke (or X whatever) is not that really funny and you know how much I don't like anything joke base off the internet. The other one is when Moana asked about Maui's tattoo and one line he says "None of ya buusiness". I'm sorry it didn't endured me, its not cringe

Moana is a fine protagonist: Okay here's the big one, Moana is okay. Let me explain. She is simliar to Ariel from The Little Mermaid being that both are directed by the same directors but both of them are simliar in motavation.

Both wants to get out of their shell to explore a bigger world and both are trapped down by their dad's rule. But both eventually get what they want, so why I think Ariel is a great protagonist but Moana is just okay?

For Ariel, what love about her is that, she is an out cast and hids her niche interests as an secret. The movie gives you the idea she's different from everyone else and yes King Triton is both in the right and wrong. Humans are dangerous but the movie doesn't always protrayed everyone as a serial killer to fishes. In Ariel's eyes she doesn't always thinks everyone is a killer, including the Max the dog. She saves Eric because he is not one of the killers, he is a nice guy. I mean, Ariel wouldn't like him die.

But after Triton finds out and destroyed her collection, she now goes to Ursula for a trade to not speak for human legs. I think the movie does a good job being self aware that Ariel is very naive.

Now for Moana, she always wants to go beyond the reef but her dad Chief Tui wouldn't let her because he's best friend died there and was to go to save the world by her grandmother.

Do you see now? Well yeah, its not the most original (you maybe hear that plotline before) but guys its all about execution what matters.

I don't think the movie is being self aware of Moana's actions and consequences. At least for Ariel there is consequence for transforming into human and trusting Ursula. At very least the movie shows you about Triton doubting himself, so the movie acknowledge he also gets consequences and the movie give you time.

Here in Moana, we just get a bad dream and that's about it. My point is the movie doesn't acknowledge everyone but Moana and the movie really wants you to think she is a perfect goddess. Like why do Moana all for a sudden at the start already fixed the roof with no weakness.

Also I had to talk about the beef, the quriky side of Moana. Almost times where sometinh is bad going to happened and plays a joke. like when Moana brags that they are in danger of the coconuts (by the way if you paused at 48:00 you can actually see one coconut look like Baymax, such a bizzare detail) and guess what, it happens.

Now Moana is a bit different from the quirky Disney princess's like Ana or Mirabel my its now her personality. This is such a cheap way to make your audience care a character and its so annoying that Disney give us the exact same Disney Princess character type for a decade now! Ever since Frozen, that's fine if a character acts quriky I mean hey I like TMNT and they have a bit of quirky at points. Nimona gets a pass in my book but you boiled down that same character trait of some female is so awkard and super heroric is staight up cheap writing.

What I'm saying is that, I'm fine with quirky characters its that Disney thinks that being quirky is the only character trait tha females must have and it gets tring. Disney just missed the point why we love female characters like (I said) Ariel or Mulan.

Ariel does have dorky moments but has a purpose because she isn't familiar to human civilization and that because Scuttle told her the things, the joke that he's this crazy uncle and for Mulan. Mulan acts dorky because she is tring to hid her gender to trying who she is not.

Moana is just very werid, very cute and very quirky, no questions anwsered. What a #relatable character. In fact Moana makes the same that she almost lose the spade from Tangled where Rapunzel where she hit the pan on her head.

I get that this is a choosen one story type but this one of the stories where they just soley focus one the main character and put the other characters out of the stage without progressing the main character.

Also the movie falls in the "You save the entire world" trope, like everyone is super happy and there is no actions. It just you take that information like a good scouts boy (or girl) and let it played with nothing to let the audience wondering at the end.

The plot is too convenient : Okay, here's another one. Now I don't think its a bad plotline by any means but I just wish they explore a little more. Unfortunately the movie has the spliting character, break up sad scene trope. I've already mention "you save the entire world" trope so I wouldn't repeat myself. Like Maui is forced to do what Moana says so and he is just forced to do it. He has rights to leave but plot needs to happen.

Also Moana convenitently is alright during Rock Bottom and she is convenitently right at Tamatoa's house or how on Earth did the boat was perfectly fine with no damage and there is still food. It was drag out of the ocean. You can argue that the no cean help her but the ocean is mostly a small little wave so it can control the wether? That doesn't makes sense.

Speaking of Tamatoa he's fine but a bit annoying I don't know he really didn't endured me that much and probably the most filler song in the movie but I well say the pacing is good enough and it does justify. Its that there are just some parts that is mis-placed.

Final Thoughts: So that was Moana, it just one of these movies where I do like it, don't get me wrong its a good movie however its flawed and it really pushed it back from being one of the greats. Its literally The Little Mermaid but worse. So that's an interesting review and I hope you do find it interesting enough. I'm glad that movie has an audience but I just don't think its as good what everyone says.

So that's everything I got to say!