Over Thanksgiving break, my sister and I took our young cousin to the movies to see Moana. Not only was the movie exciting, funny, and well-written (both script and music), but it also created one of the best princesses Disney has had yet.
While I grew up with more demure, poised princesses who’s defining traits were sweet and kind (and don’t get me wrong, I loved most of them too), characters more along the lines of Mulan, Merida, and Rapunzel have always grabbed my attention more. So when I heard Disney was creating a lead echoing their character traits, I couldn’t wait to see who they would come up with.
My expectations were (literally) blown out of the water. My cousin wasn’t very fazed by Moana’s character, having grown up with these more independent princesses, but for me, I was so proud that girls can have this role model – a girl who’s smart, strong, flawed, and is valued by her strength rather than her gender. Here are some of the things that make Moana such a great movie, and Moana herself a great character:
Her future as chief
I’ll admit that this made me more emotional than I thought it would. Throughout the first part of the movie, Moana struggled to balance between her wanting to explore the ocean and her duties as the next chief of her island. The part of this that I find so stunning and heartwarming is how effortless her future as chief is. It’s assumed from the beginning of the movie that Moana would grow up to be chief – not that she’d have to find a husband and rule beside him. The claim to leadership is all her own, and how nonchalantly this is viewed among her family and her people – who respect and look to her for guidance at a young age – is one of my favorite parts of the movie.
The lack of a love interest
Due to the movie’s advertising, I knew Moana wouldn’t have a love interest, but I underestimated just now nice it would be. The movie didn’t just subvert the expectation of Moana finding love, it did something even better – it didn’t even mention it. There was no grand “I don’t need a man” moment because that was never expected of her. Moana’s value has always been her own. She is meant to be chief, she was chosen by the ocean, and she saved her island. Not as a “take that” to the patriarchy or to the doubts of others, but as an extension of her own character and skill.
Without the added love story, Moana’s adventure was so much more immersing than it would be if her story was split into two parts: actual plot and romance arc. And the friendship between Moana and Maui was incredibly fun and refreshing – a friendship between a male and female with no expectation of anything more.
She was allowed to be imperfect without being silly
This is something many movies have trouble portraying. Generally, female characters are either flawless or bumbling. Especially in a movie for young children, it’s tough to make a woman a hero for girls to look up to without being an unattainable goal. Even in movies like Frozen, where Anna was marketed to be relatable rather than perfect, she came off as fairly silly, stumbling throughout her journey.
Moana did a great job of showing a middle ground between these two extremes. Moana wasn’t poised and perfect the entire time – her hair has gotten tangled in her face, she didn’t just magically become an expert in sailing, and she’s been too prideful for her own good at times. But all these serve to strengthen her character, not dumb her down, and that made all the difference. And yes, even though she’s clearly a hero, she is relatable too.
Her determination
Moana has one of the strongest resolves I’ve seen in a Disney lead. She didn’t seek to escape her future or complain that she was meant for more. She worked and prepared to become chief of her village, even though she wanted to sail the ocean. When chosen by the ocean, she is determined to succeed in her mission, despite the peril she could face. She faces dangerous waters and demigods, and keep going forward even when all others had given up. Her confidence and capability resound throughout the movie, which is a major part of what makes Moana so great.
Moana is a movie everyone can enjoy, and Moana herself is a role model everyone, especially young girls and boys, can look up to and admire.