Set to hit theatres on November 23, Disney’s 56th animated film is ready to take the box office by storm. Moana details the story of a young navigator who is on a quest to continue her ancestor’s goal of voyaging the ocean blue. The film features 14-year old Auli’i Cravalho as the Polynesian princess Moana and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the demigod Maui. There were hundreds auditioned for the role of Moana, and of them all the high school freshman Cravalho was best suited for the role. There are a few points which make this movie particularly captivating.
First off, Moana is the first Disney Princess we’ve seen since Anna from the ever so-popular Frozen in 2013. Her South-Pacific descent shows that Disney is always expanding its cultural diversity, which is good to see at a time when racial discrimination is an ongoing issue in the U.S. At Disney’s D23 Expo in Anaheim, Dwayne Johnson expressed his passion toward his culture, saying “I am proudly half-Samoan and half-black.” Just this past week Disney had to pull down a Maui costume due to accusations of racism.
Another notable fact, and the part of the movie which caught my eye in the beginning, is one of the movie’s music co-writers, the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda in particular worked on the narrative aspect of the movie, which is a good sign for those looking for a good soundtrack. Alongside Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, the movie’s music is sure not to disappoint. It will be refreshing to see what Miranda has been up to since Hamilton.
The movie is directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, who notably have in the past created successful films such as Disney’s Princess and the Frog. The movie features 3-D and is the directors’ first computer-animated film. The two were quite passionate for the film, visiting South American countries such as Fiji to learn about their culture, and they crew took it upon themselves to hand-draw Maui’s tattoos.
Overall the hype for this film, though moderately underrated, should be quite high. With dedicated directors and excellent producers, the movie should be a big hit once it hits the box office. If you want to see Moana’s seafaring adventure through the ocean, you should look out for this new film from Disney Studios, set to hit theatres on November 23.
