Moana (2016)
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A strong-willed daughter of a village chief is chosen by the ocean to restore a mystical relic to the goddess Te Fiti.
The story
Set in ancient Polynesia, the film follows Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a village chief, who is chosen by the ocean to restore a mystical relic to the goddess Te Fiti. When a blight threatens her island, she sets sail in search of Maui, a legendary demigod, in hopes of saving her people. The story draws inspiration from Polynesian mythology and explores the cultural heritage of the Pacific.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
On the island of Motunui, the people worship Te Fiti. Long ago, Maui stole her heart, causing her to disintegrate and creating a volcanic demon, Te Kā. A thousand years later, Moana is chosen by the ocean to return the heart. After her grandmother Tala reveals the truth about the ocean's danger and the identity of the villain, Moana sets sail with her pet rooster, Heihei. She finds Maui, a demigod who lost his magic. They face the Kakamora pirates and the giant crab Tamatoa. Moana convinces Maui to help her restore the heart. They reach Te Fiti's island and face Te Kā. Moana realizes Te Kā is the corrupted Te Fiti. She returns the heart, healing the land. Maui becomes an island, and Moana returns home as a wayfinder.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Musker; Ron Clements
- Writers
- Jared Bush · screenplay; Ron Clements · story; John Musker · story; Chris Williams · story; Don Hall · story; Pamela Ribon · story; Aaron Kandell · story; Jordan Kandell · story
- Cast and characters
- Dwayne Johnson · Maui; Auliʻi Cravalho · Moana; Rachel House · Tala; Temuera Morrison · Tui; Jemaine Clement · Tamatoa; Nicole Scherzinger · Sina; Alan Tudyk · Heihei
- Genres
- animated; musical; adventure
- Themes
- self-discovery; tradition
- Tone and mood
- adventure; family-friendly
- Premise and plot tags
- mythology; voyaging; ocean adventure
- Franchise connections
- Disney Princess
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, grossing $687 million worldwide.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 81 · scale: 100 · review count: 44
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Original Song · Nomination; Grammy Award · Best Song Written for Visual Media · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was the first motion picture to be fully dubbed in the Tahitian language.; The name of the character was changed to Vaiana in several European countries.; The film was the most-streamed film in the United States over a five-year period from 2020 to 2024.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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