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8.2
Walt Disney Animation Studios Acclaimed

Moana

Moana · Walt Disney Animation Studios

2016 107 min PG
Critic8.2
Disney+ Apple TV Amazon Prime Video FindEdition

Overview

In ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out Maui and restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, saving her people and rediscovering her ancestors' voyaging legacy.
Story 8.4
Acting 8.5
Direction 8.3
Cinematography 8.6
Music 9.1
Pacing 8.0
Originality 8.2
Emotional Impact 8.5
Overall 8.2

Editorial Review

By FindEdition Cinema Desk

8.2 /10

A new kind of princess

Moana is defined by duty, curiosity, and self-discovery rather than a love story, giving the film a refreshing emotional arc.

Songcraft excellence

How Far I'll Go and You're Welcome became instant classics, with Miranda, Foa'i, and Mancina blending Broadway energy with Pacific musical traditions.

Visual splendor

Water simulation, lush island environments, and Lalotai's bioluminescent monsters rank among Disney Animation's most beautiful work.

Cultural respect

The Oceanic Story Trust helped shape costumes, navigation details, and mythology, though debates around Maui's portrayal remain part of the film's legacy.

Enduring appeal

Nearly $691M worldwide, two Oscar nominations, a Grammy-winning song, and sustained Disney+ popularity cement Moana as a modern family staple.

Pros

  • Outstanding original songs including How Far I'll Go and You're Welcome
  • Stunning water and ocean animation
  • Strong heroine arc focused on identity and leadership
  • Cultural consultation through the Oceanic Story Trust
  • Excellent voice performances from Cravalho and Johnson
  • Memorable villain song Shiny by Jemaine Clement
  • Sustained popularity on Disney+

Cons

  • Some Pacific scholars criticized Maui's oversized comedic portrayal
  • Third-act pacing rushes the Te Ka confrontation slightly
  • Heihei's comic relief can feel overly broad for some viewers
  • Formulaic hero's-journey structure within Disney beats
Verdict A vibrant, culturally grounded Disney adventure with career-defining songs, stunning Pacific visuals, and a heroine defined by courage rather than romance. Moana remains one of the studio's strongest post-Renaissance musicals.

AI Review

Disney's 2016 Polynesian voyage epic pairs Auli'i Cravalho's fearless Moana with Dwayne Johnson's Maui, Grammy-winning songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and $691M worldwide — a modern animated classic without a love-interest plot.

A vibrant, culturally grounded Disney adventure with career-defining songs, stunning Pacific visuals, and a heroine defined by courage rather than romance. Moana remains one of the studio's strongest post-Renaissance musicals.

Perfect family viewing on Disney+. Best enjoyed with good speakers for the Lin-Manuel Miranda soundtrack. Pair with Moana 2 for the full franchise arc.

Awards

Academy Awards

Best Animated Feature · nominated

Academy Awards

Best Original Song (How Far I'll Go) · nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Best Animated Feature Film · nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Best Original Song (How Far I'll Go) · nominated

Grammy Awards

Best Song Written for Visual Media (How Far I'll Go) · won

Annie Awards

Best Animated Feature · nominated

Annie Awards

Outstanding Achievement for Music in a Feature Production · won

Critics' Choice Awards

Best Animated Feature · nominated

Timeline

Release Date
Theatrical Date
Digital Date
Physical Date
Premiere
Festival
Status
Development

John Musker and Ron Clements began developing Oceania in 2011 after The Princess and the Frog, assembling the Oceanic Story Trust for cultural authenticity.

Announcement

Walt Disney Pictures announced a late-2016 release in October 2014, later confirming November 23, 2016.

Casting

Auli'i Cravalho was cast as Moana in 2015; Dwayne Johnson joined as Maui with a public announcement at the D23 Expo.

Music

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina collaborated on songs blending English, Samoan, and Tokelauan lyrics.

Premiere

World premiere at AFI Fest at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016.

Theatrical release

Opened November 23, 2016 in the United States with the short Inner Workings, becoming a Thanksgiving box-office hit.

Home media

Digital HD arrived February 21, 2017; Blu-ray and DVD released March 7, 2017. Later became a flagship title on Disney+.

Academy Awards

Best Animated Feature nominated

Academy Awards

Best Original Song (How Far I'll Go) nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Best Animated Feature Film nominated

Golden Globe Awards

Best Original Song (How Far I'll Go) nominated

Grammy Awards

Best Song Written for Visual Media (How Far I'll Go) won

Annie Awards

Best Animated Feature nominated

Annie Awards

Outstanding Achievement for Music in a Feature Production won

Critics' Choice Awards

Best Animated Feature nominated

Production

Development

John Musker and Ron Clements began developing Oceania in 2011 after The Princess and the Frog, assembling the Oceanic Story Trust for cultural authenticity.

Announcement

Walt Disney Pictures announced a late-2016 release in October 2014, later confirming November 23, 2016.

Casting

Auli'i Cravalho was cast as Moana in 2015; Dwayne Johnson joined as Maui with a public announcement at the D23 Expo.

Music

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina collaborated on songs blending English, Samoan, and Tokelauan lyrics.

Premiere

World premiere at AFI Fest at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on November 14, 2016.

Theatrical release

Opened November 23, 2016 in the United States with the short Inner Workings, becoming a Thanksgiving box-office hit.

Home media

Digital HD arrived February 21, 2017; Blu-ray and DVD released March 7, 2017. Later became a flagship title on Disney+.

Streaming

Cast

Characters

Crew

Videos

Official Trailer

Soundtrack

  1. Tulou Tagaloa — Olivia Foa'i
  2. An Innocent Warrior — Violetta & Olivia Foa'i
  3. Where You Are — Christopher Jackson, Rachel House, Nicole Scherzinger & Auli'i Cravalho
  4. How Far I'll Go — Auli'i Cravalho
  5. We Know the Way — Opetaia Foa'i & Lin-Manuel Miranda
  6. How Far I'll Go (Reprise) — Auli'i Cravalho
  7. You're Welcome — Dwayne Johnson
  8. Shiny — Jemaine Clement
  9. Logo Te Pate — Opetaia Foa'i & Lin-Manuel Miranda
  10. I Am Moana (Song of the Ancestors) — Rachel House & Auli'i Cravalho
  11. Know Who You Are — Auli'i Cravalho & Violetta Foa'i
  12. We Know the Way (Finale) — Lin-Manuel Miranda & Opetaia Foa'i

Trivia

  • Auli'i Cravalho, a native of Hawaii, was the last of hundreds of actresses auditioned for Moana and recorded her first audition from her bed due to a leg injury.
  • The film was developed over roughly five years under the working title Oceania, with extensive consultation from the Oceanic Story Trust.
  • Moana is the first Disney Princess film without a central romantic love interest.
  • Maui's living tattoos were hand-animated, with Mini Maui acting as his conscience and biggest fan.
  • The ocean itself was treated as a character with personality, animated to respond emotionally to Moana.
  • Opening Wednesday earned $15.5 million, a Disney Animation record at the time, en route to an $82.1 million five-day Thanksgiving debut.
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote songs while commuting to and from his Hamilton rehearsals on Broadway.
  • Dwayne Johnson's grandfather was a Samoan high chief, which he cited as personal motivation for portraying Maui respectfully.
  • The soundtrack peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, rare for an animated feature score.
  • Cravalho reprised Moana in Hawaiian-language and Maori-language dubs; Rachel House and Temuera Morrison reprised roles in the Maori dub.

Quotes

"See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me."

— Moana

"I am Moana of Motunui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti."

— Moana

"You're welcome!"

— Maui

"The ocean is calling you."

— Gramma Tala

"Hook, line, and sinker. It's time I let the ocean know exactly who you are dealing with."

— Tamatoa

"Know who you are and let it guide you."

— Gramma Tala

"See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me."

"I am Moana of Motunui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti."

"You're welcome!"

"The ocean is calling you."

"Hook, line, and sinker. It's time I let the ocean know exactly who you are dealing with."

Goofs

  • Heihei repeatedly swallows small rocks and later coughs them up, which would be lethal for a real chicken.
  • Maui's fishhook changes size and damage level between shots during the Te Ka battle sequence.
  • The coconut pirates (Kakamora) use modern-style slingshots and armor that feel anachronistic within the mythic setting.
  • Moana's hair remains perfectly styled even after typhoons, shipwrecks, and underwater sequences.

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Collections

Part of Walt Disney Animation Studios

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Universe

Moana / Disney Animation

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Franchise

Moana

First entry in the Moana franchise. Sequel Moana 2 (2024) continues Moana and Maui's adventures. Live-action remake scheduled for 2026.

Browse franchise →

Recommendations & Alternatives

A similarly themed alternative is Minions & Monsters.

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AI Recommendation Insight

Disney's 2016 Polynesian voyage epic pairs Auli'i Cravalho's fearless Moana with Dwayne Johnson's Maui, Grammy-winning songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and $691M worldwide — a modern animated classic without a love-interest plot. Similar picks: Similar Adventure, Highly Rated Adventure, Similar Animation