I don't know what you guys are talking about TBH. Its an incredibly mid film where the only memorable part is the end. I recently re-watched and I still barely remember the rest of the film because the rest of the film is milquetoast inconsequential time filler.
Moana succeeds where so many modern Disney productions fail. She feels like a real person—curious about her world but also naïve and prone to mistakes, as any young protagonist should be. What makes her remarkable is that her story isn’t weighed down by the suffocating baggage of identity politics. She earns her place through action and determination, not through the shallow pandering of diversity quotas. Moana’s struggles and triumphs are hers alone, with no sense of entitlement or shortcuts.
The music, though initially unassuming, reveals its brilliance in hindsight. It complements the narrative and themes rather than competing for attention or relying on gimmicks to be memorable.
But Disney’s commitment to such craftsmanship seems to have eroded in recent years. Too often, their protagonists flaunt their flaws as virtues, refusing to grow or change because, apparently, it’s the world that’s wrong, not them. Look no further than
Raya and the Last Dragon. The so-called antagonist, a conniving, backstabbing wretch, is inexplicably absolved of her sins because society—or worse, Raya herself—is held responsible for her actions. This absurd moral relativism dilutes any meaningful character arcs.
And then we have
Wish. Asha, a teenager with the political wisdom of a toddler, isn’t portrayed as inexperienced or out of her depth. No, it’s the king who bears the brunt of blame because he refuses to grant every wish with reckless abandon. The film’s message, if it can be called that, is infantile: optimism trumps reality, and anyone who disagrees is obviously a villain. This isn’t character writing; it’s propaganda for the participation trophy generation.
Disney’s recent output is an insult to the intelligence of its audience. Where are the arcs? The growth? The consequences? Characters like Moana remind us what storytelling can achieve when sincerity and effort are prioritized over preaching. Until Disney rediscovers its discipline, their works will continue to rot beneath the weight of their own mediocrity.
