The spot (embedded above) begins with a narrator explaining the legend of the demigod Maui, who performed such feats as slowing down the sun and raising islands from deep beneath the sea — all with the benefit of his magical fish hook. As we quickly find out, our narrator is somewhat of an authority on Maui because, well, he is Maui.
As he tells the tale above to the titular heroine of the film, she seems, shall we say, less than impressed: “What’s a demigod gotta do?”
After the intro, we get a couple of clips of both Maui and Moana in action, a few gorgeous shots of the Polynesian paradise in which the film takes place, and then it’s over as soon as it began. Oh, well. Guess that’s why it’s called a teaser.
Still, this brief spot showcases some truly impressive animation and makes Maui seem like a fun and lovable character. The background music also helps evoke the epic/adventurous mood that the film seems to be going for. That’s not surprising considering the involvement of heralded Samoan singer/songwriter Opetaia Foa’i and Broadway’s beloved Lin-Manuel Miranda, but it certainly helps us feel immersed in Disney’s newest world.
We don’t know much more about Moana than we did last week but, if the point of a teaser is to leave you wanting more, then, mission accomplished.
In addition to Johnson, Moana features the vocal talents of Auli’i Cravalho (Moana), Phillipa Soo, and Alan Tudyk. The film hits theaters on November 23.
