Tag: DwayneJohnson

Moana

Published on by DanielaLeave a comment

We all know the story of Moana. The daughter of a chief, she knows that one day her time will come to lead her people. When her island’s crops don’t grow properly and their fish begins to run out, Moana sets out on a journey to restore the heart of Te Fiti, a goddess, who is behind the environmental turmoil. In order to complete her quest, she must seek the help of Maui, a demigod, who was responsible for stealing the heart in the first place.

The latest of Disney films to receive the live action treatment, the original Moana film burst onto the scene only ten years ago. We also got the sequel two years ago. Because of those reasons, I do think this new version came too early. The story is still so fresh and current; it didn’t need to be revamped. There are so many other movies that Disney can adapt if that’s the route they really want to go down. As a result I wasn’t entirely looking forward to checking this out, but I’ll admit it was better than I was expecting.

Catherine Laga’aia takes over as the titular character from Auli’i Cravelho. I was initially unsure of her casting, but she really made the role her own. Not only did she look the part, her singing voice was pristine and I had chills during How Far I’ll Go. Dwayne Johnson reprised his role as Maui and while Maui is such an iconic character to begin with, I’ll admit I was quite distracted by the wig he wore. That being said, the chemistry between the two leads was organic and reminiscent of the first.

If a film is remade, there are usually updates that are incorporated. This helps elevate the material and make it more accessible for a wider audience. That was unfortunately not the case here. Instead we got a carbon copy of the original. This isn’t an awful thing – the story is timeless after all, but it just further iterated why this film wasn’t necessary. It offered absolutely nothing new.

Additionally, while beautiful to look at, it was clear that most of the settings were in front of a green screen. Some moments were extremely CGI heavy which isn’t an awful thing per se, but did take away from the realistic feel of it. I still couldn’t help myself from falling in love with Pua and Hei Hei. They truly are some of the best Disney sidekicks ever.

Overall, the live action Moana was nothing more than a cash grab. Still, it was a cash grab that I was more than happy to partake it since I am a fan of all things Disney. I think it helped that I went into it with super low expectations because it really wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I just wish they had waited a few more years.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Moana 2

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The long awaited sequel to 2016’s smash hit Moana hit theatres this weekend. When Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) receives a call from her wayfinding ancestors, she must embark on a quest unlike any other. Together with Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and her crew, they must rescue a forgotten island to save their people and to find others who are just like them.

One of my favorite aspects of this franchise is its beautiful animation. From the island vibes to the impossible blues of the ocean, it is indeed a feast for the eyes. This time around the audience were introduced to some new places like the inside of a clam and the harsher waters of the ocean which made for a different yet still satisfying color pallet.

Another thing that I love is the score. The haunting chants are almost spiritual and they fit perfectly with the tone of the film. Unfortunately the soundtrack itself is not as epic as it was in the first film. Lin Manuel Miranda’s absence is felt and while I enjoyed most of the songs in the moment, none of them really stuck out and I couldn’t even tell you their names.

Cravalho and Johnson are a great team once again as Moana and Maui. They have an effortless friendship with one another; it was just a pity they were only reunited in the third act! I enjoyed the addition of some of the other characters like Moana’s sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert – Tsuda) and the crew that Moana recruits for her voyage Moni (Hualalai Chung), Loto (Rose Matafeo) and Kele (David Fene). And who could forget the likes of Pua and Hei Hei, Moana’s pet pig and chicken? They provided a lot of laughs! I would have loved to learn more about Matangi (Awhimai Fraser) however, but maybe we’ll get her story in the inevitable third part.

Though Moana 2 wasn’t as great as the original, there is still a lot to like about it. Moana’s journey upped the stakes and I was intrigued the whole way through. With many laughs and heartfelt moments between family and friends, this is a great time for the whole everyone to enjoy.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Black Adam

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It has been 5,000 years since Teth Adam (Dwayne Johnson) became a demi-god and was imprisoned for misusing his powers. When Adrianna (Sarah Shahi) frees him from his tomb, the anti-hero must learn how to cooperate with the good guys if it means saving the world.

What worked for me here was Johnson’s performance as our protagonist – or antagonist – ? I thought he was perfect for the role. He had the look and the right attitude, though I wish we could have seen him grow more throughout the course of the film. Origin stories never give us enough time for that. I also liked the inclusion of the Justice Society. The casting for Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan) and Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) were genius, however, Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) were very one dimensional and didn’t get nearly enough screen time. It was as if their characters were an afterthought more than anything else.

I must admit that for once the CGI effects were impressive. This franchise is notorious for having struggled in that department in the past so I am glad that they are getting better. Not only that, but I really liked the soundtrack choices too.

Unfortunately that’s about it as far as my enjoyment goes. In true DC style, it seemed like the story took ages to get going. I didn’t find the script to be particularly groundbreaking and the scenes that didn’t involve any action were pretty lacklustre. Plus, the jokes, few as they were, did not make me laugh at all.

I heard many claim this was a turning point for the DC universe. While I want to agree with them, I still think that a lot of work needs to be done. Was it the worst I’ve seen out of the bunch? No, it wasn’t. And while I have always and will continue to defend DC to my dying day, there was that spark missing for me with Black Adam that had me yearning for more.

Rating: ♥♥.5

Red Notice

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Red Notice follows FBI top profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) as he embarks on a mission to find some of the world’s most wanted. Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds), a renowned art thief, is trust into Hartley’s way, forcing the two of them to team up to find The Bishop (Gal Gadot), another art thief who is always one step ahead. On the hunt for Cleopatra’s eggs, Hartley and Booth will stop at nothing to get to them first, even if it means traveling the world, participating in some heists and having to put up with one another in the process.

My hopes for this film were high. How could they not be? Three of the most popular names in cinema right now star along side each other in this action adventure flick and I like them all individually. The chemistry between Johnson and Reynolds was exactly what I had anticipated while Gadot was great addition to the mix. My only problem with this trio was that once again, Reynolds was basically playing himself. I realized that this was the third movie I had seen him in this year and he really does tend to play the same type of character over and over again. While I do enjoy him as an actor, I also wouldn’t be mad if I didn’t see him in any projects in the coming year. I need a break.

I liked the storyline and thought the quest was interesting enough. There were some fun chase sequences and lots of twists along the way. The action was sort of lack lustre on the whole, however, and there was a bit too much predictability. I wish I had been caught off guard a few more times.

Netflix movies have mostly been full of misses lately and that makes me sad. I was really looking forward to Red Notice and while it was entertaining enough, my expectations weren’t really met. That being said, they set it up nicely for a sequel which I would still undoubtedly watch.

Rating: ♥♥. 5