I know my personal tastes when it comes to movies understandably may not match everyone else's. There are a few Disney classics that many feel nothing can ever top, such as The Lion King. And while part of me tends to agree, when I first saw Moana upon its release, I wondered how any other movie could measure up to it. Coco comes pretty close, I will admit, but there are a lot of things about Moana which stood out to me.
The first thing is the relationship between Moana and the demigod Maui, the other central character in the story. Disney has some pretty iconic pairings between two females, such as the relationship between Elsa and Anna in Frozen, or between two males, such as Andy and Buzz Lightyear's friendship in Toy Story. But this is the first time to my knowledge that we see a bond form between a male and female character that doesn't end in romance. Don't get me wrong, I don't really have any issue with romantic storylines, but it was admittedly refreshing to see the relationship between Moana and Maui develop into a strong friendship, which felt more natural in the context of their interactions than a romance.
Yes, there are a few cliches in the movie. There's the "chosen one" who is destined to leave her home and go on an adventure, with the guide of a mentor (Maui) along the way. There's the parents that don't want her to go, and the elderly grandmother who is supportive and yet not overly involved. Still, I've always been of the opinion that cliches don't necessarily have to be a bad thing if executed correctly. And in this case, I believe they were. There is enough humor sprinkled into the story and the characters are strong and creative enough to work with the cliches, instead of becoming victims of them.
2016 was overall a good year for animated films, and this one was no exception. The animated in the movie is beautiful, and Disney brings it with the magic and fun. I must have seen Moana 4 times already, and no doubt I will probably watch it again at some point.
