Thomas Kail’s live-action Moana is an absolute delight. But it can’t escape one unavoidable truth: it’s an almost shot-for-shot remake that rarely dares to chart its own course.
Disney’s live-action remakes have become something of a lottery. Some, like Beauty and the Beast, capture the magic of their animated predecessors, while others—looking at you, Snow White—feel destined for the bargain bin before the credits have even rolled. But despite their varying quality, they’ve all shared one thing in common: they’ve revisited beloved Disney classics that have stood the test of time.
That’s what makes Moana such an unusual choice. The original animated film remains as popular as ever, and with its sequel only dominating cinemas in 2024, it hardly feels like a movie crying out for a live-action makeover. Yet here we are, with Dwayne Johnson squeezing into Maui’s legendary prosthetic muscles, throwing on the flowing locks, and preparing to unleash another thunderous “Chee-Hoo!” on audiences.
At the helm is director Thomas Kail, while newcomer Catherine Laga’aia steps into the daunting role of Moana. On paper, the ingredients are certainly there for one of Disney’s stronger live-action efforts. The question is whether this talented team can accomplish what so few of these remakes have managed: justify their own existence and perhaps even set a new benchmark for Disney’s live-action catalog. Or should Maui have stayed on Motunui, waiting another thousand years before setting sail for the big screen once again?
REVIEW
Fear not, Disney fans, because Thomas Kail’s live-action Moana is an absolute delight. Bolstered by breathtaking cinematography, captivating performances, and a heartfelt sense of adventure, it faithfully captures everything that made the original so beloved. The music is phenomenal, the photorealistic visuals are stunning, and Catherine Laga’aia dazzles in the title role, carrying the film with warmth, charisma, and confidence.
Yet for all its strengths, Moana can’t escape one unavoidable truth: it’s an almost shot-for-shot remake that rarely dares to chart its own course. While it’s an exceptionally well-crafted adaptation, it adds little to the original’s legacy and never truly justifies its existence. Ironically, that’s both its greatest strength and its biggest weakness—it perfectly recreates the magic of the animated classic. Still, it seldom gives audiences a reason to choose it over the film they already love.
LIVE-ACTION
From its opening moments, Moana makes its intentions crystal clear: this is a near shot-for-shot remake, and it rarely strays from that course. The opening narration is paired with beautifully realized visual effects, instantly drawing audiences back into Maui’s legendary theft of the Heart of Te Fiti. It’s also where Dwayne Johnson makes his live-action debut as the demigod, and his introduction is something of a mixed blessing. There’s no denying his infectious charisma or his complete understanding of the character after voicing Maui for the past decade. His performance is energetic, funny, and every bit as entertaining as fans would hope.
Visually, however, it’s a different story. Between the oversized prosthetic muscle suit, the flowing wig, and the unavoidable fact that Johnson is now older than he was when he first played the role, his appearance can be surprisingly distracting. While he fully commits to the performance, there are several moments where it’s hard not to wonder whether recasting the role might have served the live-action adaptation better. It’s a testament to Johnson’s charisma that he largely overcomes those hurdles, but they’re impossible to ignore.
MOTUNUI
Fast-forward to the breathtaking island of Motunui, where Moana truly begins to find its footing. Sweeping coastal vistas, lush tropical landscapes, and meticulously crafted villages make for some of the film’s most striking imagery as we’re introduced to Moana, her family, and her people. Translating the vibrant beauty of the animated classic into live action is no easy feat. Still, VFX supervisor Bill Westenhofer—alongside powerhouse studios including Industrial Light & Magic, Weta FX, Digital Domain, and Framestore—comes remarkably close.
The visual effects are consistently impressive, yet they’re also where the remake’s biggest compromise becomes apparent. The original Moana burst with dazzling colors, making every frame feel like a living painting. Here, the pursuit of photorealism inevitably mutes that vibrancy. The island still looks beautiful, but its richer, more natural palette lacks the eye-popping brilliance that made the animated world so instantly iconic. Realism undoubtedly adds authenticity, but it also strips away some of the visual magic that defined the original.
That same philosophy extends to the island’s inhabitants. Their grounded, naturalistic portrayal gives the world a welcome sense of authenticity, making Motunui feel like a place that could genuinely exist. Unfortunately, that immersion is briefly undermined by some noticeably poor ADR during the opening scenes, with dialogue that occasionally feels disconnected from the performances. It’s hardly a deal-breaker, but in a film that needs to sweep audiences away from its very first moments, these early technical hiccups prevent it from making quite the unforgettable first impression it should.
THE HEART
Once those early missteps are out of the way, Moana quickly finds its rhythm, faithfully retelling the beloved story with the same warmth, infectious sense of adventure, and emotional heart that made the original such a phenomenon. The ocean remains one of the film’s greatest stars, brought to life through stunning visual effects that make every wave shimmer with personality. Meanwhile, Heihei is recreated in remarkable detail, and his wonderfully chaotic antics—particularly alongside the ever-lovable Pua—provide some of the film’s biggest laughs and most charming moments.
At its core, Moana has always been about more than an epic voyage across the sea. It’s a story about family, identity, respect for nature, and finding the courage to forge your own path. Thankfully, the remake embraces those themes wholeheartedly, with the live-action format lending them an added sense of emotional authenticity. The relationships feel more grounded, the stakes more personal, and the quieter moments are given room to breathe.
Nowhere is that more evident than with Moana’s grandmother, Tala. Played with warmth and quiet wisdom by Rena Owen, she becomes the emotional anchor of the entire film. While Tala was already one of the animated version’s most memorable characters, Owen’s heartfelt performance gives her an even greater presence, making her guidance and enduring spirit resonate long after she’s left the screen. As a result, one of Moana’s strongest emotional pillars feels even more powerful in live action.
ADVENTURE
Once Moana’s quest is underway, the remake finally begins to chart a slightly different course—albeit only by a few degrees. The changes are subtle and stem more from the actors’ individual performances than from any meaningful alterations to the story itself. Familiar scenes unfold with different line deliveries, quieter character beats, and slight tweaks to the action, but the narrative remains firmly anchored to its animated counterpart. They’re never distracting, yet they’re rarely transformative either, leaving you to wonder why some moments were adjusted while virtually everything else remains untouched. It often feels as though these minor flourishes were Thomas Kail’s only opportunities to leave his own creative fingerprint on an otherwise meticulously faithful recreation.
The most noticeable departures arrive during Maui’s showstopping number, “You’re Welcome.” Rather than attempting a frame-for-frame recreation of one of Disney’s most visually inventive musical sequences, the film wisely reimagines it for live action. The exaggerated cartoon gags are dialed back in favor of a more grounded performance, while Dwayne Johnson is given greater freedom to command the screen with his trademark charisma. The revisions are sensible and help the sequence fit the film’s more realistic aesthetic, even if they don’t dramatically improve upon the original. Instead, they offer audiences something new to enjoy before the adventure sails back into familiar waters.
SPECTACLE
From there, Moana continues to follow the same familiar course until it reaches its inevitable finale, buoyed throughout by another magnificent score from Mark Mancina. Having composed the music for the original film, Mancina’s return feels not only appropriate but essential. While many of his most recognizable themes make a welcome return, he also introduces fresh musical flourishes that breathe new life into the adventure. Ironically, the score is one of the few aspects of the remake afforded genuine creative freedom—and Mancina makes every note count.
His music elevates virtually every scene, amplifying the emotion, wonder, and spectacle in equal measure. Whether it’s a quiet moment of reflection or a pulse-pounding voyage across the ocean, the soundtrack constantly enhances what’s unfolding on screen, reminding us why Mancina remains one of Hollywood’s most dependable composers.
That emotional momentum carries seamlessly into the film’s spectacular climax. Like so much of the remake, the finale closely mirrors its animated counterpart, delivering the same exhilarating set pieces and heartfelt resolution, even if the more grounded visual palette lacks some of the original’s dazzling vibrancy. It’s an immensely satisfying conclusion—heartwarming, poignant, and undeniably entertaining—that sends audiences out on a high.
VERDICT
Overall, that’s where Moana’s greatest frustration lies. Thomas Kail has crafted one of Disney’s finest live-action remakes. It’s beautifully acted, visually stunning, emotionally sincere, and overflowing with the charm that made the original such a beloved classic. The problem is that it rarely justifies its own existence. Beyond seeing this world realized with flesh-and-blood performers, there’s very little here that surpasses—or even meaningfully expands upon—the original. As a result, Moana succeeds brilliantly as an adaptation. But it struggles to make a compelling case for why this journey needed to be taken twice.
Despite being wholly unnecessary, the film is a joy from start to finish. Whether or not fans will ultimately pick it over the animated classic remains to be seen, but that’s almost beside the point. With its glorious performances, visual brilliance, and energetic adventure, it’s a welcome reunion with old friends.
So, book your tickets and embrace Catherine Laga’aia’s impressive debut as Moana. It may be unnecessary, but damn, it’s entertaining! You’re welcome!
Chee-Hoo!
Disney’s Moana sails into cinemas on Friday.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
