Displaying items by tag: Dwayne Johnson

MOANA 2

US, 2024, 100 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson,  Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Awhimao Fraser, Temuera Morrison, Rachel House, Alan Tudyk.

Directed  by David G. Derrick Jr, Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller.

It is a surprise to find that the first Moana film was released in 2016, 8 years ago. There had been an intention to do a sequel as a television series in 2020 but that did not happen. Instead, here we are in 2024, meeting the characters again, travelling back thousands of years, to the islands of the Pacific, to the Polynesian inhabitants so long ago.

But audiences who were enthusiastic about the first film, and they certainly were, now have an opportunity to meet the characters again, the intrepid Moana (Auli'i Cravalho playing Moana again), the companion pig and chicken (although this reviewer had very low tolerance for the chicken as a character, rather annoying, caught in all kinds of silly situations – but that is a comment from an older viewer, while the youngsters will probably want more!).

In many ways, this is a repetition in story of the first film. We see Moana’s community, the chief her father, her great reputation she had achieved as a sailor and “Wayfinder”. But, the community is isolated, not sure where there are more people, more islands in the ocean. As in the first film, there is the heroic Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) who has been a live for thousands of years, his body covered in tatters which come alive to tell the story of his adventures. He comes to join Moana and another group of sailors, a young man who idolises Maui and very feisty young woman and old grandfather, cantankerous, and the pig and the chicken!

So, lots of sea adventures. A visit to an island of coconuts who have a life and language of their own, seem hostile but are friendly, contribute to the expedition across the seas. There are all kinds of creatures in the sea, even waves of the ocean coming alive, and, as the crisis mounts, vengeful deities, a strange malevolent queen who has the power to destroy the wayfarers, and ever-increasing storms which take their toll on the expedition.

But, in the spirit of the traditions of the Polynesians, their seafaring, their settling of the islands around the Pacific, there is the revelation that they are not isolated, that there is great joy in finding other communities and uniting with them. (And, the alert audiences will hear many New Zealand accents, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement, who appears in the mid-final credits sequence, jokey, but those who instantly make a beeline for the exit as words appear on the screen at the end, will miss it.)

So, a variation on the Disney princess, the Polynesian Princess, Moana, colourful action, intriguing characters, the importance of storytelling, images, not only in caves but on the tattoos of the characters, bringing those stories to life. And, this time there are some jolly songs, pleasant interludes, tunes and lyrics that are easily accessible, especially to the younger audience. And, indeed, Moana is a film for the younger audience, very strong, of course, for the young girls who will enjoy it.

1. The popularity of the original film? Television series not eventuating? The happy reception of this sequel?
2. Disney style, the animation, the drawing of the characters, their interactions, humans, animals, fantasy creatures, locations, the sea, islands, the coconuts…? The musical score, the role of the songs, the chirpy lyrics, the tunes?
3. Intended audience, the youngsters, younger girls, the adventure tale of a Princess who is not actually a Princess?
4. The establishing of Moana as character, her quest in the first film, the Wayfinder, her achievement, the relationship with Maui, with her family? Wanting communication with others in the ocean? The initial venture, the storm, her achievement, return home? The reception, the celebrations on the island, her father, mother, the family?
5. The introduction of the familiar characters, Maui, the demigod, collaboration previously with his return, the interactions, the banter, travelling with her again?
6. The pig, friendly, cuddly? The chicken, fiascoes, comic, irritating?
7. The new quest, her companions on the journey, Lote as a vigorous young female, Moni, young, enthusiastic, his admiration for Maui? Kele, the cantankerous father? Leave, help, collaboration marijuana
8. The visualising of the voyage, the sea, the waves, the oceans, the arrival at the coconuts island, the interactions, the help, the coconut guiding them? Maui and his advice, interactions with minor?
9. The vast island, the split, separated, the adventures, the dangers, surviving?
10. The quest to confront the angry God, to discover more humans?
11. Matangi, under the spell of the God, her life, machinations, her song, decision to help, confronting the God?
12. The achievement, the discoveries, the return home, the welcome? Moana as a true Wayfinder?

RED ONE

US, 2024, 125 minutes, Colour.

Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J.K.Simmons, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Kiernan Shipka.

Directed by Jake Kasdan.

Most films about Santa Claus require quite a suspension of disbelief - except for the littlies. But, this one even more disbelief than usual for those who say they don’t believe in Santa Claus. Most of us!

Santa, the Red One, though initially seen enjoying himself meeting all the children at a Philadelphia shopping mall, is suddenly whisked away in a super-powered sleigh, the sturdiest reindeers you have seen, to an extraordinary mythological North Pole, then the victim of a vast conspiracy, his abduction, an evil which determined to take his place on Christmas Eve rounds and imprisoning forever those on the “Naughty List”!

Not exactly the scenario we might have been expecting for Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans.

This is a piece of Christmas entertainment for older children (of whatever age!). The mythological story of the abduction, draining Santa Claus of his energies, the manufacturing of imprisoning it globes to be distributed on Christmas Eve to trap those naughty, is played out as the equivalent of a high-powered action show. Plenty of action – but always with its heart in the right place but not necessarily all those fighting fists.

Dwayne Johnson is obviously enjoying himself as Cal,  Santa’s long time bodyguard, for several centuries, in fact. And, J.K.Simmons as Santa is enjoying himself even more. He even has bodybuilding sessions at the gym with Dwayne Johnson. As for Chris Evans, we don’t like him at the start, arrogant, mean minded (even snatching a lollipop from a baby in a pram). He has all kinds of tech skills, he is hired out to break into high-class systems, enabling the witch to abduct Santa. And he has a young son who rather idolises him but is disappointed in him.

In fact, there are quite a lot of pauses in the film for Dwayne Johnson to give moralising lessons for the young audience, basically to be good.

So, lots of fantasy, lots of action sequences, particularly enjoyable are those where Cal’s powers enable him to go into miniature form at a moments notice and then reverse, very handy for battling and tricking hefty opponents.

Lucy Liu appears as the director for mythological operations. There is also the Krampus and his ogre-like warriors, Mrs Claus (Bonnie Hunt) a range of elves and a huge benign polar bear key staff-member at the North Pole.

Director, Jake Kasdan, has made the Jumanji films so he is at home with fantasy blends of realism and imagination. Audiences seem to be enjoying the red One – and best to avoid reading reviews by critics who think that this kind of thing is beneath them!

1. Red One, code for Santa Claus?
2. The tone of the film? Christmas film? Santa Claus film? Variations on the theme? Not for the youngest audiences, four boys, for children (of all age)?
3. Audience suspension of disbelief, belief in Santa Claus, Christmas Eve, the North Pole preparing all the gifts, travelling around the world, the deliveries, happy children? Variations on this theme?
4. The opening, the children, the gifts, Jack as very sceptical – and audiences discovering at the end that the young sceptical Jack was the older Jack of the action?
5. Santa Claus, at the mall, enjoying talking with the children, his personality, Cal present as his bodyguard, the intrusive man, the children waiting? Santa, ready to go to the North Pole, the reindeer and their size, the super sleigh, moving through space and time? The dome at the North Pole?
6. Expectations of life at the North Pole, the elves, the polar bear, Santa Claus’s wife, the preparation of the gifts, almost Christmas Eve? Santa, going to the gym, exercise, push-ups, weights… Cal retiring?
7. The witch, her pleasant appearance, her ugly appearance, her henchmen, her plan, abducting Santa, the deception of the break and the dome, keeping him at the North Pole, draining his energy? Her work, creating the globes, their finally worked in, miniaturising and capturing people? The intention to rid the world of naughty children, imprisoning them? Creating a better world?
8. The introduction to Jack, his age, careless, his skills, supervision, taking the lollipop from the baby, visiting his son, the complaint of his wife, phone calls, to take him to meetings? His age, devotion to his father, the disappointments?
9. Cal, the experience of the abduction, Zoe, her being in charge, the various meetings, the plans, the ruining of Christmas?
10. Cal, his personality, the guard for centuries, putting in his letter of resignation, becoming involved, tracking down Jack, the interchanges, hearing about Jack’s son? Knowledge of the witch, Jack identifying the contacts for the plan, going to the resort, the interrogation of the contact, his fears, the arrival of the monsters, icy, transforming others into ice? The humour of the fight sequences, Cal and his being miniaturised? The toy cars and other aspects of the shop, from miniature to full-size, driving away?
11. The visit to Germany, the Krampus, Santa Claus’ brother, the revolt, the ogres, the fight sequences in the slaps? Jack and Cal escaping?
12. Going to the North Pole, the buildup to the confrontation, the witch and her success, the mass production of the globes, trapping both Jack and Dylan? The talk, Jack being good and kind, the breaking of the glass?
13. The witch, preparing all the globes, the sleigh, getting ready to go?
14. The arrival of the Krampus, the witch his ex-wife, his decision to be on the side of good?
15. The fights, the sabotage of the sleigh, the breaking of the globes? Confrontation with the large witch, miniature fight? Her being imprisoned in a globe?
16. Finding Santa, resuscitating him, going on his rounds, the speed and the possibility of delivering all the gifts everywhere in the world on the one night!
17. Jack, the bonding with his son, and the revelation of the sceptical young Jack? Cal and his decision to stay on guard in Santa Claus?