Reception for Moana, Disney’s animated Polynesian adventure, shows the value of resisting stereotypes
Respect and attention to detail lie behind box-office success of big-screen tale of demigod Maui – voiced by Dwayne Johnson, who has Samoan heritage – and a village chief’s teenage daughter
Six years ago, John Musker began reading about the Polynesian demigod Maui. Co-director with Ron Clements on such animated Disney features as Aladdin and Treasure Planet, Musker felt this mythological character would make a great basis for a new film. He took the idea to John Lasseter, the chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, who was immediately intrigued – but there was a proviso.
“John Lasseter is really, really big on research,” says Clements.
It meant taking the first of several trips for what would eventually feed into Moana, the first major animated movie to be set in the Polynesian islands. “It was tough, but someone had to go to Tahiti and Fiji!” laughs Osnat Shurer, the film’s producer.
Joking aside, it was just the beginning of an extensive period of research. “To be honest, when we first started the film, I don’t think we realised what a job it would be,” says Musker.
Already, the results are there to be seen, with global box office takings of US$487 million (HK$3.8 billion) and glowing reviews.