Meant to Be, by Reed Lackey

It is no longer surprising when a new Disney animated feature contains stunning visuals, memorable and moving songs, or funny and engaging characters. The studio has long been not only the pioneer for feature-length animated storytelling, but often the gold-standard bearer. So the fact that Moana, the latest entry in that ever-growing canon of classics, contains all of those elements was certainly no shock.

But Moana does have a few surprises up its sleeve, some of which don’t quite work in its favor. The story revolves around the tenacious young Moana, who is destined to be the leader of her tribe of islanders, as she ventures on a quest across the ocean to replace the heart of Te Fiti and put an end to the creeping darkness threatening to overtake her island and its people. That heart (a shiny emerald covered in mystic writing) was originally stolen by the Demi-God Maui, who was going to use the stone to help the people of earth but instead unleashed the darkness. As part of her quest, Moana must find Maui and take him with her to restore the heart of Te Fiti and put an end to the earth’s sickness before it’s too late.

What works really well in Moana are the elements we’ve already come to expect. The visuals are stunning, particularly when Moana and Maui descend into the “realm of monsters”, where they encounter one of the story’s most memorable characters. And speaking of characters, one of the film’s strongest points is the cast that populate its lovely settings. Not only are Moana and Maui consistently likeable and funny, but joining their quest is a hysterical chicken named Hey-Hey (who is dumber than a coconut) and the ocean itself (which is not a character in the sense of New York a la Woody Allen, but actually interacts with the characters, conveys emotion, and becomes integral to narrative beats).

Another real treat in this entry are the songs, composed by a team including Lin-Manuel Miranda of “Hamilton” fame. They are catchy and emotionally resonant, and we shouldn’t be surprised if the quirky, Bowie-esque “Shiny” settles nicely on the shelf next to “Hakuna Matata” or “Friend Like Me” in the coming years. The overall package of “Moana” is fun and moving, and a worthy entry in the Disney catalog. The titular character is also delightfully realized and well belongs among the ranks of Disney’s classic princesses.

It isn’t perfect, though. There are dangling plot threads that remain largely forgotten past the story’s first act and more than one attempt at deepening a character’s back story without successfully integrating it into the larger thematic tapestry. Even the film’s climax has a conceit to it that holds almost equal degrees of both touching revelation and head-scratching bewilderment. You’ll likely be moved, but not without a handful of question marks.

But despite these minor blips of uneven storytelling, Moana is still an entertaining and often inspiring story that refreshingly doesn’t rely on a love interest or a traditional villain to make its story and its characters compelling. Its characters and their quest is an adventure worth experiencing. Don’t be surprised if you exit the film humming one of its signature tunes with a great big smile on your face.