I am a huge Disney fan, so of course, I was looking forward to the Disney version of a story about a Polynesian girl, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho).

In this movie, Moana has one goal: to save her island. Moana is told by her grandmother that a demi-god named Maui (Dwayne Johnson) has stolen the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, which has caused a great corruption in the ocean and on Moana’s island. As daughter of the Chief, Moana stops at nothing to save her island by restoring the heart of Te Fiti. In order to do that, she must seek out Maui for his help. On this journey, she finds her bravery, destiny and identity.

Moana’s character was another masterpiece created by Disney. Her comedic breaks, determination and passion all made her role as a heroine perfectly. Moana also has no love interest holding her back, it’s all about a girl and her persistent spirit to save a family and an island she loves. Even though Cravalho is a new actress, her joyful tone really added to Moana’s character. It was also cool that Disney had a native islander play Moana, because there’s a connection between the voice actress and Moana’s character.

Maui’s character was also enjoyable. Once again, Johnson made a lasting impact through his ecstatic character. As a demi-god, Maui was a stubborn and an arrogant character. He even sang a song about how great he was to have made himself a legend. When Moana approached Maui to help give back the heart of Te Fiti, he rejected her at first. But after Moana agreed to help get his hook (which gives him his strengths and abnormal abilities), he agreed to journey with her. I really liked Maui’s character development toward the end. In the beginning, Maui believed he was nothing without his hook, but Moana helped him realize his identity alongside her own.

This movie was able to put a smile on my face and kept me entertained. I feel like every character was able to throw in a funny line and portray their solid role in the film clearly. I also can’t forget about Moana’s side kick: Hei Hei the rooster. The rooster didn’t do much, but he was there in the background to make the audience and I laugh.

Overall, this movie had everything: comedy, heartfelt moments and inspiration. Moana is a movie anyone would enjoy and learn a little something from. I highly recommend Moana to anyone looking for some happiness.