Moana (2016)

For the most part, life seems pretty contented for the dusky, sun-soaked denizens of the small Polynesian island at the center of “Moana,” Disney’s splendid computer animated feature. Except that Moana herself—the plucky teenage girl and title character of this lively, luminous adventure—dreams of captaining a sailboat and venturing far out into the pristine, deep blue South Pacific waters.

That’s an action strictly forbidden by her overprotective father, who warns solemnly never to go beyond the reef, but Moana soon takes her chances anyway. Like all brave heroines, she’s driven by her own burning curiosity, as well as a wise and ethereal grandmother who encourages her to follow her heart and an ocean that, quite literally, beckons her.

There’s also a more immediate need for clues to a mysterious blight on Moana’s island that’s causing diminishing food sources. Luckily, the answers could lie in a small, glowing green stone believed to be the heart of an earthly goddess; and with Maui, a shape-shifting demigod—he has the power to morph from a hulking islander to a soaring bird of prey with a wave of his magical fishhook—who unleashed the fury of ancient monsters after he stole the pendant hundreds of years earlier.

With its vast lineup of quirky, wonderfully engaging characters—including an army of fierce coconut pirates, a crooning giant crab, sea water that comes to life, and Maui’s expressive tattoos that dance across his broad chest like some brilliant allusion to silent film—“Moana” has some of the most dazzlingly imaginative, fully-realized and original personalities to come along in an animated movie in a long time.

Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker—the same team behind “The Little Mermaid” (1989), one of the best Disney pictures of the time—“Moana” marks the filmmaker’s first foray into digital animation and it’s a rapturous visual triumph, filled with gorgeous, swooping camera movements and bright, highly detailed ocean, air and land imagery. Moreover, the movie is in love with nature—at once tracking its unpredictable danger and violence while celebrating its life-affirming majesty and rich beauty.

The performances and songs are nearly flawless. Newcomer Auli'i Cravalho plays Moana in a sparkling debut, lending emotion and fire without being cloying to both her character and the standout number How Far I’ll Go; and former wrestler turned action star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson nearly walks away with the movie when his cheerfully arrogant but ultimately lovable Maui belts out the upbeat You’re Welcome, a hilariously unapologetic ode to himself.

If the measure of a great animated movie lies in how long afterward the viewer is still humming the music, “Moana” passes the test with extensive honors.