Heihei now, Disney. We’ve let quite a few uninspired live-action adaptations slide, but there has yet to be one as prosaic and oftentimes downright ugly as “Moana,” a nearly shot-for-shot, line-for-line remake of the 2016 instant classic also titled “Moana.” Viewers might expect more from a film that cost the House of Mouse an estimated $250 million, but what they will get is an identical plot, many of the same actors reprising their roles and so much monstrous CGI work that it begs the question: can we even consider this a “live-action” film?
Catherine Laga’aia as Moana in Disney’s MOANA. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
A Similar Synopsis
No, you aren’t experiencing déjà vu. “Moana” regurgitates an identical plot as its animated predecessor. Moana, now portrayed by newcomer Catherine Laga’aia, is the daughter of a Polynesian chief (John Tui). Their small island of Motunui is facing an existential crisis as the food supply begins to rot and the fish have left the safe haven of their shoreline. The tribe has not been allowed to travel the open sea for centuries, thanks to the demigod Maui, portrayed once again by Dwayne Johnson, who stole the heart of Te Fiti, the goddess of nature, and unleashed Te Ka, a volcanic demon.
Moana is hand-picked by the ocean to go on a spectacular journey and right the wrongs committed so many years ago. Her dying grandmother Tala (Rena Owen) unveils the family secret: the people of Motunui were once wayfinders, voyagers who navigated the seas.
Inspired by her ancestors, Moana leaves the protection of her island’s reef to save her people. First, she finds Maui stranded on a deserted island. He tries to steal her boat, but the ocean has other plans for the demigod and the Polynesian princess and forces them to work together.
The duo, along with Moana’s stowaway rooster Heihei, fight off the coconut pirates Kakamora, who also seek the heart of Te Fiti. The voyagers then visit Tamatoa (once again voiced by Jemaine Clement), a giant, treasure-hungry crab who has been safekeeping Maui’s magical hook. Maui teaches Moana how to navigate the open waters, and the pair are as ready as they’ll ever be for the final showdown, sneaking through Te Ka to return the heart to its rightful owner and restore peace for her people.
Dwayne Johnson as Maui in Disney’s live-action MOANA. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
Live Action vs. Animation
So, you may be wondering, is there anything “better” about this live-action iteration? The answer is wholeheartedly: no. Laga’aia gives the titular role her all, and she looks, acts and sings the part. While Johnson is the ultimate entertainer, his luscious wig and 40-pound prosthetic bodysuit prove to be distracting elements to this over-the-top kitschy version of Maui. There is a new song, “Along the Way,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, who penned the 2016 soundtrack and performed by Laga’aia and the original voice of Moana, Auli’I Cravalho.
What is possibly the most disappointing aspect of this film is that, despite utilizing some real actors, the film still requires an inordinate amount of CGI. Pua the pig and Heihei the rooster are both computer-made, as is the entire scene with the Kakamora army. Anything in or around the water requires so much animation that at times it is easy to forget that this is not an altered version of the 10-year-old cartoon.
And what this new adaptation fails to realize is that much of what made “Moana” such a success was the vibrancy of its images; the colors of the ocean floor, the various blues of the waves, the beauty of the palette that animators used to bring Moana, her friends and her world to technicolor life. That is, generally, missing here. Johnson cannot compete with the vitality and expressionism of animated Maui. The many hues that infused every sequence in the original are duller and less eye-catching in this unfortunate attempt to recapture the audience’s favor (and money).
Rooster Heihei in Disney’s live-action MOANA. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
Emotions Crash and Danger Burns
Another result in translating the film to live action is that some of the story’s more intense scenes are emotionally heightened by the new format. Gramma Tala, for instance, has a longer leading-up-to-death moment with Moana, one that had my kids teary-eyed. They weren’t nearly as affected by the same moment in the animated film, which did not draw out the grandmother-granddaughter melancholic goodbye, but portrayed it as a more joyful, spiritual act.
Similarly, the Te Ka fight scene at the film’s end is starkly more upsetting and “dangerous” in feeling than in the 2016 film. The gigantic lava monster fills the screen with scorching red danger, particularly in contrast to Moana and Maui’s small boat lost in the dark sea below. My 8-year-old, who is not usually frightened easily, covered her eyes with her hat because she didn’t “really like [that] part.”
For a film franchise that is targeted at kids in the 4-8 year range, there is simply no upgrade in this film. The box office over the film’s opening weekend shows that audiences have caught onto the grift: it’s cheaper, easier, and overall better to stay home and catch the original “Moana” on Disney+.
- MPAA Rating: PG for action/peril, some scary images, rude humor and brief thematic elements
- Where to Watch: In theaters Friday, July 13
- Recommended Age: 6+
- Runtime: 115 minutes
More Parent Reviews and Family Movie Picks
Still deciding what to watch next? Check out more Seattle’s Child movie guides and parent reviews:
- Parent Review: “Monsters & Minions” | This ambitious sequel is full of smart cinematic nods, but it lacks the simple charm that made earlier Minions movies so much fun.
- Parent Review: “Toy Story 5” | Pixar delivers a thoughtful, surprisingly nuanced take on screen time without losing the heart that made the franchise beloved.
- Parent Review: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” | Despite its colorful visuals and familiar characters, this sequel misses the mark with a chaotic pace and surprisingly thin story.
