I was surprised when I learned this film didn’t receive any Oscar awards, aside from recognition for a song. Having now watched it, I understand why. The premise feels like something that could have been a short story, stretched out into a full-length movie; with the exception of the beginning, it's primarily focused on a small group of characters sailing and battling an evil force to lift a curse. Ultimately, watching it made me think this kind of narrative would be better suited as a brief animated presentation. Disney usually delivers for its audience, at least in my experience. I found it enjoyable and entertaining, though somewhat basic. The characters are charming; it's a lovely film for children, and some adults will likely appreciate it too. However, it’s not universally appealing like many other Disney movies tend to be. Dwayne’s voice acting for one of the main characters was well done, but the young actress portraying the lead really stood out. It’s particularly engaging if you're a child or a girl. It’s the best film since 'Lilo & Stitch,' sharing similar themes about Pacific Islanders. It brought ‘Whale Rider’ to mind. I believe the story could have benefited from some enhancements, specifically by introducing a few more characters even for brief appearances. This isn’t the strongest animated movie of the year, but it's certainly not one you should avoid entirely. If you’re looking for something purely entertaining, it succeeds at that. _6½/10_

Source on TMDB