Live-Action Moana Faces Backlash for Its Visuals and Purpose

From the moment I caught a glimpse of the teaser for the live-action Moana, I felt a wave of concern wash over me. It seemed like a cheap, uninspired remake of what many consider Disney’s finest animated film from the Revival Era. Early reactions from those who have seen the new Moana remake largely echo my initial worries, although a few viewers found some redeeming qualities in this fresh take on the beloved animated adventure.

The world premiere screening of Moana took place in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. While official reviews are still under wraps, social media is buzzing with impressions and thoughts. It would be generous to label the reactions as mixed; most viewers appear to either see Moana as a waste of time or outright terrible, with a handful of outliers who found it acceptable or offered critiques while praising specific elements, such as Catherine Laga’aia’s performance as Moana.

One critic described the remake as a “nearly shot-for-shot, beat-for-beat live-action adaptation that doesn’t bring anything new to the table that wasn’t done better just a decade ago.” They noted that the visuals felt flat, heavily relying on green-screen and CGI for many locations, water effects, creatures, and even musical numbers, resulting in a soulless and inauthentic experience. Dwayne Johnson’s natural charm was said to be diminished by a distracting fake body suit.

Another entertainment reporter echoed these sentiments, labeling the film a “shot-for-shot, line-by-line remake without a single original idea.” They criticized it as a creatively bankrupt cash grab with no interesting direction, questioning why anyone would choose to watch this when the original Moana (2016) is readily available on streaming.

A writer and critic described the new version as “one of the ugliest movies of the year,” pointing out that the photorealistic style detracts from the experience and fails to introduce any fresh ideas.

On the other hand, some reactions were less harsh. A film and TV critic expressed surprise at how much they enjoyed the remake, highlighting the strong comedic chemistry between Laga’aia and Johnson, along with some truly stunning visuals.

Another critic acknowledged that the remake is essentially a copy of the original animated film, but for them, that was a positive aspect. They found it fun and emotionally resonant, praising Laga’aia as a perfect Moana while noting that Johnson was often overshadowed by her performance.

A journalist offered a more neutral take, stating that while it wasn’t a disaster like some other Disney adaptations, it also didn’t reach the heights of the animated classic. They described it as the most copy-and-paste Disney remake yet, repeating lines and shots from the original without capturing its brilliance.

It seems we won’t have to wait long for full reviews to surface, but it’s likely that Disney is bracing for a less-than-stellar Rotten Tomatoes score for the Moana remake once critics weigh in. However, if this live-action version manages to perform well at the box office like its animated predecessor and its sequel, Disney executives may find solace in their financial success.

Moana hits theaters on July 10, while the original film and its sequel are currently available for streaming.