2026 Summer Movie Season - Moana: Review and Analysis

 

Smooth and Familiar!!! Adaptation of 2016 Disney Classic Is Satisfactory Edition of Beloved Tale!!!!

Review By BJ Porter

The ocean calls her.

The Story

Heritage and legacy go hand in hand within any culture. It is a connective branch that reminds us who we are, what we stand for, and what we should hold onto so we can prevent losing our identity as time passes. For the people of the island of Motunui, they have a rich history and a strong sense of identity that connects generations. But deep down, there has always been this void that feels like a part of their story is missing or forgotten. Someone who seems to feel this most is the island’s princess, Moana (Catherine Laga'aia). Ever since she was a small child, she has always had this intensely intimate relationship with the ocean. While she is determined to do everything she can to make sure she plays her part in Motunui’s growth, there is always this part of her spirit that beckons her to look beyond where she is meant to be. When the island's resources become dangerously low due to an ancient curse consuming their island and many others, Moana makes the bold decision to traverse the open ocean and return the fabled heart of Te Fiti to its rightful place, thus bringing peace to her homeland. Facing down a slew of trials and deadly creatures in addition to encountering the legendary yet overly egotistical shapeshifting demigod named Maui (Dwayne Johnson), Moana must work to restore the heart and reconnect her people to a part of themselves that has been hidden away for far too long. 

Moana and Her Father Sail Together

The Review

Disney invites you to experience the spiritual rush of adventure and self-discovery in the live-action adaptation of the 2016 animated classic. Moana reintroduces one of the brand’s most beloved heroines to a new generation via a new lens while looking to maintain the essence of what makes this character in the story so special. After traveling to where the line meets the sea, Moana plays things very safe in its execution, but the results still deliver in hindsight. The idea of doing a live-action version of Moana before the original movie is even 10 years old was something that gave me pause. I am used to the announcements coming 10, 15, even 20, 30 years after the animated version. However, this story seemed to have enough to warrant the authorization early. Obviously, people had strong opinions about it as they do with every one of the remakes. But for me, the live-action adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated classic is good enough to be fun in its own right while still paying respect to the original, much to its benefit and detriment. Speaking on the performances, that was one of the main things I looked at as the make-or-break for this movie. These characters are iconic for a reason, and bringing them to life on screen was a task that they needed to get right, or the movie would falter dramatically. The title role was the most essential, and they needed someone to bring our beloved heroine to life authentically, and the person that they chose rose to the challenge brilliantly. Catherine Laga'aia truly encapsulates everything that I love about this character. For this to be her feature film debut, she had a ton of expectations and pressures going into it. But I'm thrilled to say, she absolutely delivered. Every emotion, every note sung, every mannerism was captured spot on, to the point where I was honestly seeing Moana in front of me from first frame to last. That isn't to say that Laga'aia didn't add some of her own personal flair to the role, which helped make this version of the character stand out slightly from her animated counterpart. She is without question the biggest bright spot of this film, and she deserves every bit of praise I hope she receives. Of course, her running mate may be a veteran of the game, but he still came to play nonetheless. Dwayne Johnson as Maui is about what you'd expect. He plays the character beat for beat, and there is no doubt he isn't afraid to have fun with it. That said, there is an advantage he has with being the character in the voice booth that is missing in the live-action version. Johnson is capable in the role, but seeing him as Maui in live action works in some cases but sometimes not as much as I would have liked. His chemistry with Laga'aia is one of the elements that works within the film, as their dynamic is fun to watch, but I honestly see the animated version of Maui as the far superior version, no question. 

Whale of a time

To be honest, the movie being faithful to the animated film is both a good and bad thing overall. On the positive side, the film has all the key moments and emotional beats that make this story resonate with fans around the world. That said, there is not much difference between it and the film it's using as its foundational center. This will, to no one's surprise, anger fans who see this as a waste, for very little was done except make the story with real people. While I don't disagree with that stance, I will give the film credit for said faithfulness to the animated material simply because the execution of it is well done. The song sequences all translate well to live action, with all of the performers bringing the world to life on screen in a believable way. One of my favorite musical numbers from the 2016 film "You're Welcome" is particularly a standout as its combination of animation and live action makes for a sequence that might be one of the best I've seen from a Disney live action remake. In addition to that, Laga'aia absolutely crushes her renditions of "How Far I'll Go" and "Song of the Ancestors," making her just as emotionally enveloping as her vocal counterpart Auli'i Cravalho. The film brings these moments to life on screen effectively, and I don't have any doubt that they understood the importance of maintaining the spirit of the original. The problem I believe most people will have is that this film doesn't really offer much that the animated movie already does. That said, I still think the job that was done is at least good enough in my eyes to still not mind it being in the room. All in all, the live-action version of Moana is a good enough retelling for me to find quite a bit of enjoyment in it. I do agree that this live-action film probably didn't need to be made, especially this early. But the film did what it needed to do to ensure that respect was given even at the cost of not taking risks. The animated voyage will most likely be the one people will jump at the chance to go on again and again. But this edition of it offers the same charm and heart despite its treading within familiar waters.

Final Score Rating

Faithful almost to a fault, the live-action remake of Disney's certified classic 
is a fun interpretation that is low risk yet still a voyage worth taking if 
the mood is right. 

Our princesses of Motunui