REVIEW: Disney’s Live Action ‘Moana’ Is Exactly What You Expect, For Better Or For Worse

The best parts of the live-action Moana are animated. Weird how that happens, but it’s hard not to prefer a tap-dancing tattoo to a bad wig and a manta ray to a lava monster, even when one Disney’s best original princess-adjacent stories of late is coming to life on screen.

Given its many built-in charms, I cannot see how Moana (2026) would be offensive to its intended audience: children who have seen Moana (2016). But, as an adult, it’s hard to not be cynical about why this movie got made. Why does Disney insist on pouring their time and resources into remakes like this? Is it not too soon for this particular remake? Is anyone really nostalgic for November of 2016? Consider those coconuts.

Why does the House of Mouse not put this energy into producing more stage shows? Disney Theatrical, stand up! They’re taking your jobs! Not to pigeon-hole director and Tony winner Thomas Kail, whose screen work I have enjoyed in the past, but he should have directed a stage adaptation of Moana instead. It would be more interesting to me to see a live-action version of this story in another medium. Alas, let me not get too in the weeds critiquing a movie for not being a play. That’s not why any of us are here.

As alluded to above, the Mary Poppins-esque integration of animated and live-action elements in musical numbers like “You’re Welcome” and “Shiny” is creative and whimsical and cool to look at in the new film. The CGI animated deus ex magic water effect works as well. Maui’s animated miniature tattoo doppelgänger is a scene stealer yet again. Moana’s two animated, now with more third dimension, animal sidekicks Pua and Hei Hei are adorable as always. The shadow-y animation in “We Know The Way” are also great, and then actually give way to a live-action sequence that brings that song to its full potential.

Listen, you’ll have fun

Catherine Laga’aia is a delight as the titular heroine! Her singing voice is incredible. Her whole family has a casual, comfortable chemistry that you obviously do not get in an animated film and is nice to see. Stick around for the credits to hear composer Lin-Manuel Miranda’s new song, “Along The Way,” which features her and Auliʻi Cravalho (a.k.a. the original voice of Moana) harmonizing together. Again, sorry it slaps! In the film, Laga’aia plays not just the coming-of-age story but the hero’s journey with aplomb. That’s still kind of rare for female characters. While the stand-off between Moana and Te Kā at the end was not my favorite part of CGI, her performance overpowers it. She kind of becomes more of an effective trickster than her mentor…

Objectively, Moana is not a terrible movie. The story and the songs, largely untouched, remain good! Moana is good! As a member of the movie-going public, I tend to at least find some nugget I enjoy in every one of these Disney live-action adaptations. They always contain at least a little bit of magic, whether that’s a casting decision or a musical number. (To the frustration of my friends and colleagues, I might add. Don’t think I don’t notice your eyes glaze over when I bring up how much I love the song “For The First Time” from 2023’s The Little Mermaid. Sorry, but it slaps!)

It’s also hard to not feel like Dwayne Johnson is miscast in a role he originated. That’s not a pleasant thought in the slightest! His vocal performance ten years ago was so unexpected and delightful. But he’s more bored townie hanging around campus with nothing better to do than trickster god in this–and if a trickster god is bored, that should be harbinger of doom rather than a snooze. There are some comedic moments, but overall it just does not work.

Maybe the worst thing about Moana is that it’s too safe. It does not change enough from the original film to stand out, and the changes I did notice feel like… not even studio notes. PTA notes, maybe? For example, did she really have to ask her parents’ permission before running away this time? Where’s the escapism in that? Did her dad really have to tell her that she wasn’t the first person her grandmother had taken to the secret boat lair? Let her be the chosen one! She can do it! Lean in to the fantasy.

You’ve probably already made up your mind about this movie. That’s one of the biggest problems with Disney’s live-action remakes. We know the story. We know the songs. All many folks need is a trailer or a headshot to get preemptively pissed off. What can I say except that seeing it for myself was better than I feared, even though… yeah! It’s the same movie, y’all.

(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

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