Moana

Moana is a 2016 American computer-animated supernatural musical fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and Mandeville Films and the 56th film in Disney's animated features canon. The film is being directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson provide the lead voices. It also features the voices of Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, and Alan Tudyk. The film was released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 23, 2016.

Plot[edit | edit source]

An adventurous teenager (Auli'i Cravalho) sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master way-finder. Together they sail across the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous monsters and impossible odds. Along the way, Moana fulfills the ancient quest of her ancestors and discovers the one thing she always sought: her own identity.

Cast[edit | edit source]

Auli'i Cravalho as the voice of Moana Waialiki
Louise Bush as the voice of a younger Moana
Dwayne Johnson as the voice of Maui
Rachel House as the voice of Gramma Tala Waialiki
Temuera Morrison as the voice of Chief Tui Waialiki
Christopher Jackson as Tui's singing voice
Jemaine Clement as the voice of Tamatoa
Nicole Scherzinger as Sina Waialiki, Moana's mother and Tui's wife
Alan Tudyk as the voice of Heihei, Moana's pet rooster
- Tudyk also provided the voice of a character credited as Villager #3
Oscar Kightley as the voice of Fisherman
Troy Polamalu as the voice of Villager #1
The voice of Pua, Moana's pet pig, is provided by the use of several pigs.

Reception[edit | edit source]

Critical response[edit | edit source]

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 95% based on 213 reviews and an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "With a title character as three-dimensional as its lush animation and a story that adds fresh depth to Disney's time-tested formula, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages." On Metacritic, the film holds a normalized score of 81 out of 100 based on 44 critics, indicating "universal acclaim." Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on a scale ranging from A to F.