Disney’s ‘dismal’ live-action Moana panned by critics
Live-Action Moana Remake Sparks Divided Reactions
Disney s dismal live action Moana - Disney has once again ventured into the realm of live-action remakes, transforming a beloved 2016 animated film into a new cinematic version. However, the latest iteration of *Moana* has faced significant backlash from critics, with many calling it a lackluster effort. The film stars Dwayne Johnson as Maui, the demigod, and 19-year-old Australian-Samoan newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian chief.
Positive Takes Amidst Criticism
While the majority of reviews were unflattering, a few highlighted redeeming qualities. Variety's Owen Gleiberman noted that the film "escapes the remake blues - in fact it soars above them." He praised Laga'aia's portrayal of Moana, emphasizing the character's "beauty, comic personality, and fairy-tale enchantment," and called Johnson's casting "perfect."
"Truly delivers 'Moana' - the beauty, the comic personality, the fairy-tale enchantment," Gleiberman wrote. "Johnson's fit for the film is perfect."
Strong Disapproval from Key Critics
Others were less forgiving. The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw described the film as a "competent but pointless and unexciting back-to-basics live-action remake," awarding it two stars. He criticized Johnson's performance as "on autopilot, like a piece of software" and argued that the heavy use of CGI made the film feel "another animation." Bradshaw concluded that the movie "feels like a superfluous piece of monetisable content."
"Johnson's performance was on autopilot, like a piece of software," Bradshaw said. "The use of CGI was so deeply embedded it feels like another animation."
The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave the film just one star, calling it "a waste of everyone's time and talent." She questioned the decision to cast Johnson, asking: "Is the situation really so dire that we'll now accept Dwayne Johnson repeating the exact same voice performance he gave a decade ago?"
"Is the situation really so dire that we'll now accept Dwayne Johnson repeating the exact same voice performance he gave a decade ago?" Loughrey wrote. "Supposedly, some scenes were shot on location in Hawaii and not in a studio in Atlanta - I couldn't tell you which."
Disappointment Over Visual and Narrative Shift
Empire's John Nugent echoed similar concerns, suggesting the film's reliance on CGI made "live action feel like a misnomer." He claimed the remake "could have been made by a ChatGPT prompt," arguing that its lack of originality made it "so pointless" compared to the original's "sprightly, expansive, and ambitious" tone.
"Live action feels like a misnomer because of the heavy use of animation," Nugent remarked. "This remake takes everything that was sprightly, expansive and ambitious [from the original] and makes it leaden, limited and dull."
The Times' Kevin Maher described the film as "a lazy cash grab for shareholders," stating that Johnson was "three decades too old to play Maui" and his performance was "oddly lacklustre and restrained." Maher's one-star review lamented the loss of the original's charm, calling it "leaden, limited and dull."
Context of Disney's Remake Trend
Disney's *Moana* is part of a broader trend of live-action adaptations over the past 15 years. While some projects, like *Mufasa: The Lion King* in 2024, have succeeded, others have faltered. The Little Mermaid failed to attract audiences in 2023, but Snow White's $170m loss was quickly offset by *Lilo & Stitch*, which grossed $1bn.
The script is adapted by the original screenwriter, Jared Bush, with Lin-Manuel Miranda's music retained. Thomas Kail, the stage director of *Hamilton*, makes his film debut. Despite the varied outcomes of these remakes, *Moana* remains a focal point in the ongoing discussion about the value of live-action reimaginings.