Moana: Blu-ray 3D Review
The Movie:
A spirited teenager (Auli’i Cravalho) sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds.
I’m a HUGE Disney movie fan (much like everyone else is) but there’s nothing that I appreciate more than when they show diversity in their films. This film is particular was great because I’ve always had a fascination with Polynesian culture and to see it being represented in this particular way made it an even better experience than I expected. Mixing culture and mythology with the core elements of what makes a Disney movie a Disney movie and you get another film that will definitely be considered a classic in the future. Cravalho and Johnson give fantastic voice acting performances (even though I kept seeing Johnson instead of getting lost in his character) and their respective songs in the film were some of the best although I did prefer Cravalho’s “How Far I’ll Go” over Johnson’s “You’re Welcome”. I really loved the message of the film and it’s definitely something that kids should keep in mind: That it’s not who you are on the outside that makes you “you” but what’s on the inside and that there’s nothing that you can’t accomplish when you work together. That right there is enough reason to have your kids watch this movie and to get them to understand the message that Moana is putting out. It’s a valuable one. I loved this movie from start to finish and if you’re a Disney movie collector then this is one that you’ll have to pick up for sure! 8/10
The 3D:
I loved watching this movie in 3D although it wasn’t the best that I’ve seen. It does a great job at making everything seem SO open and vast while they’re at sea. My biggest complaint about most 3D movies is that they tend to wash out some of the colors in a film. In this case it does cause them to fade just a tad but not enough to make it a big deal. Other than that I loved the depth between the background and foreground and it made me feel a part of the scene within the confines of my TV screen. A great way to watch this film for sure.
Special Features:
Short Film: Inner Workings – A really funny and endearing look at our bodies and how we react to routine.
Maui Mini-Movie: Gone Fishing – This short involves Maui trying to catch his next meal.
Deleted Song: “Warrior Face” – The song is shown with the backdrop of basic cinematics.
Voice of the Islands – The filmmakers discuss how a trip to Hawaii changed the outlook on the film and how they approached the story.
Things You Didn’t Know About… – Two separate features that include the cast and crew giving some fun facts about themselves.
Island Fashion – This feature focuses on the challenge of picking the right costumes for the characters.
The Elements Of… – This 4 part feature looks at aspects and challenges of animating certain things like Lava, Hair and Water.
They Know the Way: Making the Music of Moana – A fantastic piece that talks about the music in the movie.
Deleted Scenes – A handful of scenes that total to almost 30 minutes with optional intros by the directors of the film.
Fishing for Easter Eggs – Cravalho and Johnson take a quick look at some of the hidden nods and secrets in the film.
“How Far I’ll Go” Around the World
Music Video: “How Far I’ll Go” by Alessia Cara
