Vaiana, the legend of the end of the world, a very great Disney [critique]

A total marvel of character design, it's a hit in every way.

Released in cinemas at the end of 2016, Moana will be broadcast this Friday evening on M6. Waiting its sequelthis animated film is worth a watch. First fell under the spell of this lovely creation by John Musker and Ron Clements. Here is our review.

His prologue immediately sets the level. Vaiana, the legend of the end of the world immediately falls into the category of great Disney. Not an exception way Kuzco Or Lilo and Stitchbut the application of a model, of a creative method (Disney Taylorization), where the synthesis of visual (computer, paper animation) and narrative techniques propels Moana in the stratosphere. Everything is first and foremost a story of characters: in ancient Polynesia, Vaiana, the daughter of a chief (and not a princess, we insist on that), sets off to return her heart to the mother goddess Te Fiti in order to prevent darkness to devour the great ocean. A quest which, although ultimately classic (in Hollywood we need to decide once and for all to get rid of Joseph Campbell's nasty books) is not that initiatory since at the time of departure, Moana, strong and determined, already knows how to lead and command her subjects on her native island.

Moana, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin… John Musker and Ron Clements comment on their film

Synthesis film
For the heroine, it will be less about transitioning to adulthood than about accomplishing a heroic, supernatural feat in order to restore order in the world. Along the way, she will have to tame Maui, a rogue demigod capable of changing his appearance thanks to his magic hook. Somewhere between Loki and Hercules, if we had to play comparative mythology, but above all a pure Disney character, cousin of the genius ofAladdin with its old-fashioned, 2D animated tattoos by Eric Goldberg (father of Genius, by the way), which depict a hilarious mute mini-Maui with its own existence. A character who is a synthesis in itself, just like Moana is also a synthesis of Disney's concern to gradually change its recipe, starting with the characters since it is a strong female figure and illustrating “diversity” as they say in the States.

If Moana is of its time, it is not only by recruiting for its songs the cream of the scene musical US (here in the person of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the author ofHamilton!) as The Snow Queenbut also by referring – and this is the first time for an American blockbuster – to the cinematic shock of Mad Max Fury Road via a crazy sea battle sequence with coconut barbarians.

On the ocean
We had perhaps not noticed enough to what extent the cinema of Musker and Clements, little by little, also became a women's affair: Ariel by The Little MermaidJasmine in AladdinMegara in Hercules or Tiana in The Princess and the Frog. So it's all a matter of character designhere considered in its most global sense: both in the appearance of the characters and their role in the story. As such, even the supporting roles carry this brilliant philosophy of character design : do not take as a sidekick the cute little pig Puia in the adventure in favor of the crazy rooster Heihei (more interesting in terms of storytelling) is a brilliant decision.

We concentrate all the more on the characters as the very idea of ​​setting is reduced to its simplest expression, since the film takes place on the ocean – the modeling of the water is maddeningly stylish and dreamily realistic. This great imaginary ocean from which magical islands emerge (the plane where the body of the mother goddess becomes an island, of magnificent poetry), which will remind players of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker this feeling of exploring the territory both unknown and familiar of one's deepest, most exciting and most beautiful dreams.

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Trailer for Vaiana, the legend of the end of the world :

Moana has a post-credits scene