Aside from the obvious distinction of her ethnicity, Moana is a standout princess in a number of ways. Compared to the regular wide-eyed, damsel in distress that almost all Disney princesses portray, Moana is a take-charge leader of her island. She goes to extensive measures, dangerous battles, and one-on-one trials with herself to save the people of her island.
"Moana" is the newest Disney princess movie that has hit theaters. An ancient story of an island tells the tale of the demigod Maui stealing the heart of a goddess who he has now angered, leaving the islands cursed and dying. It is up to Moana to find Maui and convince him to return the heart in order to save her people.
From the very beginning of the movie, it is made clear to the audience that Moana is drawn to the water… and the water is also drawn to her. The ocean has chosen our protagonist to complete a seemingly impossible mission that will save her people and all of the other islands. Because of this, Moana sets sails alone among the strange waters in search of answers that will save the people of her beloved island.
Her sense of adventure captivates any child of the audience into finding their own passion and to not be afraid of any challenge that might be in their way. Once she is face-to-face with the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), the young island leader takes control of the situation and won’t take no for an answer.
Unlike most female Disney roles, Moana has no hint of a love interest to steal her spotlight. Aside from being next to Maui the demigod, no love sparks between the two, which is an interesting change of theme for a princess movie. Her persistence to obtain her goal and rescue everyone leaves no room for the distractions of love in this tale.
Turning to a more realistic page, Moana brings a personality that every little girl can relate to: clumsiness. Many time throughout the movie, Moana stumbles across her boat, trips on her own feet or even twists her tongue in a way every girl and women can relate to. Contrary to Cinderella’s graceful dancing, Snow White’s pristine cleaning skills and Belle’s elegant speaking abilities, Moana’s clumsiness is a highlighted characteristic that will make anybody laugh out loud.
So, now that the wait is finally over for this soon to be classic Disney movie, I would highly encourage every parent to rush their kids to the nearest movie theater so that they may enjoy the newest princess/hero addition.
