After Moana debuted last fall, the number of Disney princess movies rose to twelve. All of which, might I say, have been incredible and inspirational to young girls everywhere. However, Moana took the cake in being the best Disney princess movie of all time. In honor of the twelve Disney princesses, below are twelve reasons why Moana is the best Disney princess movie ever made.
1. There is no love interest - at all.
People could argue that Brave and Frozen didn't have legitimate love interests, but let's be real here, they did. Merida didn't want to be married off, but it was still part of the plot. And while Frozen's Elsa wasn't in love at all, her sister Ana was. In Moana, there was absolutely no love interest whatsoever for our heroine.
2. It teaches young girls about self-empowerment and loyalty.
Moana sets out to save Motonui, out of love and loyalty. On her journey, she finds herself, as well as restores the esteem of Maui - a demigod, mind you. Moana is a role model for every girl, young and old.
3. She is a strong, independent woman who don't need no man.
Seriously. All she needs is a boat, her chicken Heihei, and her pig Pua, not to mention her people.
4. Moana is not a soprano!
Finally, a Disney princess who isn't a soprano! At long last, altos and mezzos, like myself, can sing along to the music and not strain our voices to hit those high notes!
5. There's a mix of well-known and beginner actors and actresses.
Dwayne Johnson once again graces us with his iconic voice, but there's a hoard of new actors and actresses that deserve so much recognition. Looking at you, Auli'i Cravalho! You go, girl!
6. It has a lighthearted, comedic feel to it, despite the severity of Moana's mission.
Yes, Moana has to sail out and protect her island from the impending darkness of goddess Te Fiti-turned-Te Ka. It's a serious issue. However, Moana herself, along with her trusty and rather unintelligent chicken, bring a comedic element as they embark across the Pacific.
7. Moana doesn't lie or partake in any deceptive actions.
Sure, she leaves in the middle of the night, but she doesn't sneak off like Cinderella does to go to the ball, or Aladdin pretending to be Prince Ali in order to win Jasmine's heart. Moana's mother actually helps her pack for this task, as she knows that this is something only Moana can and must do.
8. Moana is extremely humble.
Moana knows that it's her task to save the village of Motonui. She also knows that she has no idea how to sail. But does she whine about her ignorance of sailing, or boast about how she is "the chosen one"? Not at all. She also disses being a princess, so props to her.
9. The songs are more contemporary and easy to sing along to.
Not only are they in a comfortable range for most girls, but the songs are catchy and easy to sing with. Lin-Manuel Miranda did a wonderful job, just as he did with In the Heights and Hamilton. The soundtrack is full of what will become household songs. "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome" are bound to be the next "Hakuna Matata" and "A Whole New World." Whether or not you've seen Aladdin or The Lion King, you know those songs come from those movies.
10. There's the element of persistence from both Maui and Moana.
Both protagonists were originally defeated by Te-Ka, and considered giving up but did they actually give up? Nope! They collected themselves and faced her again, and won. Perseverance is key here, everyone.
11. Moana puts her people before herself.
Moana didn't sail off to please herself; she bravely sailed off to restore the heart of Te Fiti to save her people and bring back their voyaging ways of life. She also helped Maui restore his self-confidence, which literally had nothing to do with her except her being a good person.
12. The movie has no targeted audience, and has a wide range of eager viewers.
When my friend Caroline went to see Moana in theaters with her friend, there were lots of families with little kids there. However, when Marist SPC showed Moana the other weekend, every single seat was taken by college kids at each of the four shows. And just the other day, I heard someone playing the soundtrack down the hall from my dorm. Moana knows no age limit!
Congrats, Moana. Thank you for being the movie that we have all been waiting for!
