Moana (2016)
93%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
21 wins & 90 nominations total
With a title character as three-dimensional as its lush animation and a story that adds fresh depth to Disney’s time-tested formula, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages.
Moana is the perfect movie for anyone who loves a good adventure story with a strong female lead. The animation is absolutely stunning, and the soundtrack is so catchy that you’ll be singing the songs for days. Plus, who doesn’t love a giant, arrogant crab named Tamatoa? Overall, Moana is a must-watch for anyone who wants to be transported to a beautiful, magical world full of heart and soul.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Polynesia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for peril, some scary images and brief thematic elements
Year of Release
2016
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Digital 12-Track Digital Sound SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 53m
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Language(s):English, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 23, 2016 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 7, 2017
Genre(s)
Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Dwayne Johnson, Auli’i Cravalho, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, Nicole Scherzinger, directed by John Musker, Ron Clements, written by Jared Bush, Adventure, PG, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Mey Rude, Kristen Lopez, Stephen Romei, Marc Savlov, Wenlei Ma, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Brian Eggert, Rosa Parra, Hosea Rupprecht, Matt Brunson, Richard Crouse, Jordy Sirkin, Maui, Moana, Gramma Tala, Chief Tui, Tamatoa, Sina, Walt Disney, Dolby Digital, Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Atmos, Osnat Shurer, female empowerment, Pacific Island culture, chosen one trope, catchy music, stunning visuals, family-friendly adventure
Worldwide gross: $643,668,897
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $793,320,991
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 147
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 86,512,649
US/Canada gross: $248,757,044
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $306,592,699
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 182
US/Canada opening weekend: $56,631,401
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $69,798,120
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 138
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $150,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $184,874,785
Production budget ranking: 138
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $99,555,071
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $508,891,135
ROI to date (est.): 179%
ROI ranking: 686
Auli’i Cravalho – Moana – Voice
Rachel House – Gramma Tala – Voice
Temuera Morrison – Chief Tui – Voice
Jemaine Clement – Tamatoa – Voice
Nicole Scherzinger – Sina – Voice
Director(s)
John Musker, Ron Clements
Writer(s)
Jared Bush
Producer(s)
Osnat Shurer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
21 wins & 90 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (285) | Top Critics (74) | Fresh (272) | Rotten (13)
It’s a deeply moving and beautiful film that celebrates it’s main character, her culture and her self-empowerment… but she could have been a lot more meaningful and authentic if she reflected and honored a specific Pacific Island culture.
August 18, 2021
Mey Rude
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
One of the Mouse House’s most sumptuous looking films from an animation standpoint.
November 20, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Kristen Lopez
Spectrum Culture
TOP CRITIC
I have a soft spot for the gigantic, arrogant, avaricious crab named Tamatoa.
January 6, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Who knew the Rock could belt out giddy showstoppers like an old Broadway ham?
December 30, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Perhaps the most encouraging part of Moana’s feminism is its subtlety. It presents female agency as nothing out of the ordinary – it doesn’t comment on it, there is no patriarchy she’s fighting back against and there’s no love story.
December 22, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Wenlei Ma
News.com.au
TOP CRITIC
In the next election, can I just vote Disney?
December 4, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Moana proves so visually stunning that all other qualities recede, and the audience beams afterward in awe of its sheer beauty.
April 5, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Memorable characters, an empowering message and a catchy soundtrack combine to make this incredible movie. Beautiful use of animation.
April 4, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
Finally, Disney gives us a princess that truly breaks the mold.
August 26, 2021
Hosea Rupprecht
Pauline Center for Media Studies
Better than Finding Dory but not quite reaching the level of Zootopia, the latest Disney animated effort of 2016 adheres pretty much to the formula we’ve come to expect in recent years from the storied studio.
August 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Best of all, you have a new style princess, one who looks to the future while paying homage to the past.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
With everything you expect of Disney, Moana has the magic to instantly solidify itself as a Disney classic.
January 2, 2021
Jordy Sirkin
Jordy Reviews It…
Plot
Moana Waialiki is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island’s fishermen can’t catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess, Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti’s heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Dwayne Johnson voices the character Maui in Moana.
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