- Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
- Year: 2016
Overview
Moana lives on a resource-rich island where the chief forbids anyone from sailing past the barrier reef. When a mysterious blight starts dying out the coconut trees and depleting the fish stocks, Moana seeks a solution. Her grandmother reveals a hidden cave filled with ancient voyaging canoes, showing that their ancestors were explorers. Moana disobeys her father and sails into the open ocean to find the demigod Maui. She needs him to return a stolen heart to the goddess Te Fiti. They navigate dangerous waters, defeat monsters, and restore the heart, which revives the oceanβs ecosystem and allows her people to resume voyaging.
Takeaways
The island is dying because a curse is spreading and killing the crops and fish. The chief's rule against sailing past the reef keeps everyone stuck on the island, limiting their chance of survival. Moana's grandmother keeps the old stories alive, showing Moana that their ancestors were actually voyagers. Moana uses this knowledge to sail out and find Maui to return the heart of Te Fiti. Restoring the heart heals the ocean and the land, showing the village that they need to start exploring again instead of staying hidden.