"Moana" is a warm family entertainment, and not just because it is set among the sun and sand of the South Pacific. Leading with its beating heart and imparting a valuable message about the importance of following one's own path, the film, directed by Ron Clements & John Musker (2009's "The Princess and the Frog") and co-directed by Don Hall & Chris Williams (2014's "Big Hero 6"), proves comforting and entirely inoffensive. Arriving during the same calendar year as two superior fellow computer-animated releases from Disney, "Zootopia" and "Finding Dory," it also proves slighter and exceedingly traditional. "Moana" reminds of countless past Mouse House musicals, from 1989's "The Little Mermaid" to 1995's "Pocahontas" to 2013's "Frozen," and on those terms it is decidedly commonplace, likable but without those extra shots of imagination and inspiration that turn a good picture into something truly special.
See Dustin Putman, TheFilmFile.com. for full review
