One of the most exciting aspects of this past Thanksgiving weekend was that the highly anticipated Disney film, Moana, was released. The movie features familiar stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Nicole Scherzinger in supporting roles, while Auili’i Cravalho, a 16 year old Hawaii native, voices the main character, Moana.

Along with the amazing actors within the film, Moana features original music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is known for creating the hit Broadway show, Hamilton: An American Musical.

Moana is the newest Disney princess film and is based on an ancient Polynesian legend. The main character, Moana, is the daughter of a chief, meaning that she will someday inherit her father’s position as leader of her home island. On this island, none who inhabit it ever leave because of their bad history with the rough ocean surrounding them. Although Moana feels the need to venture beyond the reef that encircles the island, her father prevents her from doing so.

As an ecological catastrophe hits their island, Moana’s grandmother convinces her to disobey her father to help fix the problem. Moana is chosen by the ocean itself to sail across the sea in order to find the demigod, Maui, responsible for the disaster, and return the stolen “Heart of Tafiti” to its rightful owner in order to restore peace and harmony within the environment. Despite her fears, Moana embarks on the treacherous journey for the good of her people and the survival of the island.

In my opinion, Moana is a great movie that never has a dull moment. Despite Disney’s age demographic, Moana is a movie that appeals to all. The directors of Moana showed an appreciation of Polynesian culture by basing it on an actual Polynesian myth, and casting someone of Polynesian descent as the voice of the main character. Also, the way in which the movie is animated is very impressive, as the colors used to create the island setting are so vibrant and beautiful.

The plot of Moana is already so great, but what makes the movie even better is the soundtrack. I, personally, am a big fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda and his work, so I knew that his songs would not disappoint. Furthermore, what I liked most about the movie was that it took you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as it went from very happy times to depressing moments in a matter of minutes. Although the movie gets a bit sad at times, humor is created with the help of the animal characters within the film, named HeiHei the Chicken and Pua the Pig.

Although Moana is labeled as a children’s film, there are many aspects of the movie that people of every age are able to take away and relate to everyday life. For example, the value of friendship is highlighted throughout the movie as Moana and Maui support each other and work together as a team in order to complete their quest. Also, Moana as a character is a very important role model to young girls. Unlike many of the Disney princesses, Moana’s story is focused on her being a brave and courageous heroine rather than finding love. With that being said, a strong female character like Moana helps to show young girls that they are able to overcome insecurities and accomplish anything they put their minds to.

Overall, Moana is both an enjoyable and empowering movie that I would definitely recommend for others to see; I give it a 10/10.