MovieChat Forums > Moana (2016) Discussion > Maui, the male figure, barely helped at ...

Maui, the male figure, barely helped at all

posted 8 years ago by TheMountainThatRides23
13 replies | jump to latest

He ran away from the coconut monsters. It was up to Moana to face them alone and rescue the chicken/heart.

He completely and utterly failed to have his magical hook powers under control when facing the crab demon thing. It was up to Moana to help them escape.

During the end when you think he finally entered god mode and is going to give the lava monster a good fight, Moana still has to save him and figure out that she needs to give the lava monster the heart after all.

I know Moana is the star but I thought we were against having unbalanced male/female power. The next original Disney movie with a male lead is Gigantic. Should they do the same thing and make the female character useless in that?

"The plastic tips at the end of shoelaces are called aglets. Their true purpose is sinister."

[–] Zaphenzo 8 years ago

He wasn't completely useless. He showed her how to be a wayfinder. She never would've made it anywhere without his help. Also, he saved her life against the lava demon. She was going headstrong into the divide, and the lava demon slammed his hand down on her. If Maui hadn't held up his hook, they both would've died. Also, he fought the lava demon long enough on their second go round to let her through and for her to find out that the heart was for the lava demon.

[–] DreamingOfASong 8 years ago

What's wrong with the hero of the movie saving the day? There's so many movies where women are on the sidelines, or reduced to damsels in distress. The movie doesn't put Maui down (and he even comes back as a part of his own heroic redemption); he's just not the hero in the end - it's the main character of the movie. There are plenty of movies for boys to see themselves be the hero; what's wrong with a woman saving the day in the end? It's good for little girls to see that they can be the hero.

[–] january2012 8 years ago

That's the point... she's the hero and the protagonist, not Maui. Stop being so butthurt.

[–] TheMountainThatRides23 8 years ago

Other films have a male lead with female costars and the female costars always get a moment to showcase how tough they are. Mad Max was the best balance possible with Max and Furiosa kicking ass in equal amounts. But in female lead films, the males are always so disappointing in order to showcase how capable the female is. That's not proper balance.

"The plastic tips at the end of shoelaces are called aglets. Their true purpose is sinister."

[–] OpinionsByLennon 8 years ago

Not necessarily. Zootopia didn't. Judy depended heavily on Nick.

[–] Thornspike 8 years ago

Read the words to 'You're Welcome'. As you can see, Maui has accomplished much.

[–] tag1981 8 years ago

Essentially, Maui power is simply shape-shifting. Only so much he can do. Kinda disappointed me once he got his hook. Never got any "badass" moments from him in the film unfortunately.

WOLVES DON'T LOSE SLEEP OVER THE OPINION OF SHEEP!

[–] transmentalist 8 years ago

When he faced off the lava monster without his hook and slap-danced at her, that was pretty "badass"

I never quite got all that polynesian warrior hooting & slapping until that moment

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

Moana would never have figured out where the heart was meant to be (nor would she have gotten as far without him) had Maui not distracted Te Ka.

Pretty bad ass if you ask me.

[–] Tyger_Typer 8 years ago

Not only distract but having seen the movie 3 times now, it isn't until Maui's final blow to Te Ka (which destroys the rest of his hook) that rips the outer layers of Te Ka's skin to reveal the spiral. Without that strike, Moana would never have A)put together Te Ka was Te Fiti and B)even she had put it together, there is no way she could have made the spiral appear without Maui so in the end, they did need each other to complete the task.

[–] thepicturesthatgotsmall 8 years ago

The thing about Maui is, he was already a hero at the start of the movie.

He pulled islands out of the ocean for people to live on.

He defeated monsters.

He lassoed the sun so humans could have longer days.

He lifted the sky so that people could have room to stand up.

Etc.

So I don't have a problem with him taking a backseat during the movie itself, because Moana was the character who really needed to prove herself.

[–] LukeLovesFilm28 8 years ago

Here's my question. Where are the real female empowerment movies? Instead of Norma Rae, Erin Brockovich or Thelma & Louise, we get nonsense?? Is real life too heavy of a backdrop to really empower women??

Get off your soapbox while I play you a tune on the tiniest violin.

[–] UnvoicedApollo1 8 years ago

This movie is no more nonsense than the male led movies.