Moana

Name: Moana
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Animation
Released: November 23, 2016
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 81

2016

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 44 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 821 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 821 Ratings

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Moana

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Movie Details & Credits

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures | Release Date: November 23, 2016 | PG

Summary: Moana, a spirited teenager and born navigator, sets sail from the ancient South Pacific islands of Oceania in search of a fabled island. During her incredible journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworldsMoana, a spirited teenager and born navigator, sets sail from the ancient South Pacific islands of Oceania in search of a fabled island. During her incredible journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore. [Walt Disney Studios]… Expand

Director: Chris Williams and Don Hall and John Musker and Ron Clements

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Animation, Family, Musical

Rating: PG

Runtime: 107 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Soren Andersen

Nov 21, 2016

Everything in the picture, from the characters’ clothes and hairstyles to the vessels they sail, bear the stamp of authenticity. But Moana’s greatest strength is the verve in which they move the action along and the sheer joyousness evident in every aspect of their storytelling. Read full review

Bilge Ebiri

Nov 21, 2016

It’s funny, joyful, and sweet, and yet down below, running beneath everything, is a sad counter-narrative about how the world always throws obstacles in your way, and how you could just turn your back and retreat. Read full review

Jody Mitori

Nov 22, 2016

Directors Ron Clements and John Musker use the island setting to create an authentic, vibrant world. They also make earnest efforts to be culturally sensitive to Pacific Islanders’ heritage, incorporating Maui’s storytelling tattoos and his wayfaring skills Read full review

Justin Chang

Nov 22, 2016

The moral of Moana is that playing it safe can have its limits. It’s hard not to agree, even when this lovely, reassuring hug of a movie doesn’t entirely heed its own advice. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Nov 23, 2016

The good news is that Moana is a wonderfully animated – in every sense of the word – tale of youthful female empowerment that dazzles the eye with an oceanic kaleidoscope of bioluminescent color, catchy songs, and a perfectly suited vocal cast. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Nov 22, 2016

The film is bright, busy, enjoyable, progressive without being insufferable. Read full review

The Guardian Steve Rose

Nov 7, 2016

Its cultural setting is fresh; its storytelling, less so. It navigates the reefs but it doesn’t discover a whole new world. Read full review

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User Reviews

dangers

Nov 27, 2016

Oh my God. This movie is so damn good. It’s not just good, actually. It’s a masterpiece. The music is perfect - we're talking about the best Disney musical in the last 20 years. Stunning animation. Likeable characters. Impressive voice acting. A fun and emotional story. That’s Moana. It’sOh my God. This movie is so damn good. It’s not just good, actually. It’s a masterpiece. The music is perfect - we're talking about the best Disney musical in the last 20 years. Stunning animation. Likeable characters. Impressive voice acting. A fun and emotional story. That’s Moana. It’s the movie you didn't know you want to see.… Expand

38 of 48 users found this helpful3810

bmastaz

Mar 26, 2017

I saw the trailer and wanted to check this out. Watched it with my kids. And it was one the greatest Disney movies ive seen in a while. The music is A1 and catchy. The animation. It was very funny and exciting and I was at the edge of my seat. Low rating here for some reason I dont know why.I saw the trailer and wanted to check this out. Watched it with my kids. And it was one the greatest Disney movies ive seen in a while. The music is A1 and catchy. The animation. It was very funny and exciting and I was at the edge of my seat. Low rating here for some reason I dont know why. the rock did a good job (his first Disney movie?)… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Kai82

Apr 22, 2022

It has great characters that work so well together, a lot of good humor and an appealing heroes journey story that develops the characters. Atop of that the singing is nice and not overburdened. Even the character Maui makes a jab at this when he says something like “If you start singing nowIt has great characters that work so well together, a lot of good humor and an appealing heroes journey story that develops the characters. Atop of that the singing is nice and not overburdened. Even the character Maui makes a jab at this when he says something like “If you start singing now I will puke”. I am the person who mostly dislike Disney songs except for Encanto, Frozen and a few other examples but say here it is done well enough here to win me over. I did watch this movie because friends recommend it and I was not disappointed. This movie is set in Polynesia. The Polynesians were the best naval navigators in history of mankind. Even the colonial captains were deeply impressed and this is a statement. They navigate by starts but also could read wave patters, clouds and animal behavior to find even the most remote islands. Just look how big the Pacific Ocean is and that they discovered all island. Their culture is also remarkable but I get off track. The events start far before the events of the movie when Maui a shape-shifting demi god steals the hearth of the goodness Te Fiti which has the shape of a pounamon stone. However the hearth is a precious object and he loses it immediately in the ocean as Te Ka a volcanic demon attacks him. A millennia later the chief of the Motunui has a daughter named Moana who is blessed by the ocean itself. She is drawn to the open water but the Motunui don't go there. She is told the old stories by her grandmother and wants to safe her people as the events of Maui’s acts reach slowly the island. This is the set up for the story. It is surprisingly smart, has good twists and is really entertaining. The main strengths are the characters and their journey. Both Moana and Maui are relatable, believable and feel like real characters. Their chemistry is so great that no moment is wasted. They grow a lot and the characters / heroes journey is truly excellent. I praise the voice actors here too. Auli’I Cravalho for Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui. I should say that the rest is also really good and I praise Rachel House as Tala, Temuera Morrison as Tui and of cause Jemaine Clement as Tamatoa. Watch the end credits scene for a great joke. The humor is excellent too. Every joke works and the humor does not harm the serious parts of the story. They took a lot of effort here and I praise the whole team. The animations have a great style and capture the Polynesian feeling. Be warned that I am no native or expert on this and it could be awfully wrong even making a fool out of me here. However the movie looks gorgeous. Overall I have to give a 10/10. It might not be the best animated movie ever but is so entertaining and enjoyable that a 9/10 feels wrong or too harsh.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Jess_Hill

Dec 23, 2016

This highly anticipated film is an enjoyable one that is utterly predictable and too long. The visual design is stunning, and there are some brilliant sequences, but the pacing and endless exposition mean that, at around two hours, it's unnecessarily long for the story to be appreciated.This highly anticipated film is an enjoyable one that is utterly predictable and too long. The visual design is stunning, and there are some brilliant sequences, but the pacing and endless exposition mean that, at around two hours, it's unnecessarily long for the story to be appreciated. Whilst the performances are good, the soundtrack is one which is somewhat bland for a Disney film; catchy tunes, forgettable lyrics. A nice family film overall, but not one of Disney's best. 7.76/10

A special mention, however, must go to the brilliant Inner Workings, which is worth the price of admission on its own. Funny and poignant, this is a superb short film delightfully executed. 9.23/10… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

ALAMLEDP

Jan 21, 2023

Moana is a heartwarming and visually stunning film that follows the journey of the eponymous Moana, a young girl who sets out on a quest to find the lost demigod Maui and return the heart of the goddess Te Fiti to its rightful owner in order to save her home island. The film is directed byMoana is a heartwarming and visually stunning film that follows the journey of the eponymous Moana, a young girl who sets out on a quest to find the lost demigod Maui and return the heart of the goddess Te Fiti to its rightful owner in order to save her home island. The film is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who were originally planning to adapt Terry Prachett's Mort as their next project, but rights issues prevented this. Moana is a Disney classic, but it is not without its flaws. The story is intricate but familiar, and the film bears striking similarities to Disney's previous classics. Moana is a refreshing change from Disney's usual insert-Prince-here love story, and the character development is charming and genuine. The animation is stunning and the film is also very funny, with a handful of genuine belly laughs. Despite its familiar story and character types, Moana is a film for all ages that will leave viewers with ear-worm songs and a warm heart.
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Moana es una película conmovedora y visualmente deslumbrante que sigue el viaje de la homónima Moana, una joven que emprende una búsqueda para encontrar al semidiós perdido Maui y devolver el corazón de la diosa Te Fiti a su legítimo dueño para poder salvarla. isla natal. La película está dirigida por Ron Clements y John Musker, quienes originalmente planeaban adaptar Mort de Terry Prachett como su próximo proyecto, pero problemas de derechos lo impidieron. Moana es un clásico de Disney, pero no está exento de defectos. La historia es intrincada pero familiar, y la película tiene sorprendentes similitudes con los clásicos anteriores de Disney. Moana es un cambio refrescante de la habitual historia de amor de Disney, el Príncipe aquí, y el desarrollo del personaje es encantador y genuino. La animación es impresionante y la película también es muy divertida, con un puñado de carcajadas genuinas. A pesar de su historia familiar y tipos de personajes, Moana es una película para todas las edades que dejará a los espectadores con canciones de gusanos auditivos y un corazón cálido.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

BionicMatt

May 1, 2017

Brilliantly scores and beautifully animated, but let down by its lacklustre characters. While Maui learns to appreciate humans' ability to do great things, Moana starts and ends the film as a perfect princess, and thus has no growing room. Disney again shows it can make grand spectacles.Brilliantly scores and beautifully animated, but let down by its lacklustre characters. While Maui learns to appreciate humans' ability to do great things, Moana starts and ends the film as a perfect princess, and thus has no growing room. Disney again shows it can make grand spectacles. Younger audiences and fans of emotionally-charged musical numbers will enjoy this film, but if you want a story, you may leave feeling disappointed.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Sarossilli

Nov 26, 2016

Ten outta ten. Its not the typical Disney princess movie, but its still good. It also has a great soundtrack. Its gonna be like the new frozen soundtrack.

1 of 44 users found this helpful143

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53	#53 Best Movie of 2016
24	#24 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
32	#32 Most Shared Movie of 2016