‘Moana’ review: Disney is turning cinema into something for kids

When Moana released in 2016, it was a wonderful cinematic marvel, drawing inspiration from Polynesian legends, offering moving and catchy songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Mancina, and Opetaia Foaʻi, and enjoying the creative freedom offered. At its core, it was the story of a little girl who rejected the norms of her society to fight for creation and exploration over destruction and ignorance.

2026 live action remake Moana it has the same structure. But because of its execution – and arguably its presence – it flies in the face of the original message. By definition, this overhaul reverses the direction that directors John Musker and Ron Clements had previously laid out. Beyond that, though, there’s a strange, mysterious valley to this live-action version. It evoked in me a similar reaction to AI slop, where I’m stuck in a sad mix of familiar and random things.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting Disney – which has been accused of using AI for production in the past – or that. Moana (2026) director Thomas Kail used artificial AI to create Moana’s home in Motunui or the surrounding areas, sea, and creatures. What I’m saying is that between the unique features of the original film and Disney’s willingness to treat every animated hit as proof of concept for a shaky live-action remake, there’s something mysterious and strange lurking here.

Moana (2026) feels awkward, more Disney Channel

Jared Bush’s 2016 animated adventure screenplay is closely followed, though he and his own. Mowana 2 co-writer, Dana Ledoux Miller, shared script credit for this remake. Once again, Moana’s grandmother (played this time by Rena Owen) reveals the legend of Te Fiti, the goddess of life and nature; the scheming demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, the only actor to reprise his role here); and the volcanic monster Te Kā. While other children are afraid of the news, young Moana looks happy.

Kail, who directed the Broadway production of Miranda At the height again Hamiltonfollows the film’s first action shootout, which begs the question why remake the movie if it’s live action now? (Because the audience will show up. I know. I know.)

Kail stays as close as possible to the look of the original film. There is none The Little Mermaid –such as choosing to make Moana’s animal friends Heihei and Pua look like a real picture. Instead, they look like animated versions of themselves done in CG. Which, for Pua, is great. For HeiHei, the villainous chicken with bug eyes and red bumps all over his face, it’s less lovable, as reaction shot after shot reminds us that there’s a fine but terrible line to walk.

But hey, this is what Disney fans want, right? It’s a faithful recreation of something they loved just 10 years ago (with sequels and readily available for re-watching on streaming). Of course. But aside from my usual complaint about the lack of innovation in Disney’s menagerie of live-action remakes, Moana it has a strange fake quality to it. The cast – led by 19-year-old Catherine Laga’aia – gave the players a voice that sounded like something out of a Disney Channel show. They are tight and spacious enough that I expected cheerleaders or a pre-recorded studio audience to break through.

The artifice of Moana spoil the fun

Dwayne Johnson is Maui in Disney’s live-action “Moana.”
Credit: Disney

This ton of studio sitcom is amazing after the natural wonders of Motunui. Here, in the village, where the nation is united, is where I saw the power of the live game Moana. Seeing so many AAPI performers come together in traditional costumes to sing, dance, and showcase their culture was great. The “Where You Are” and “We Know the Way” sequences are among the highlights of this movie because it’s fun to see these scenes, where a community comes together to accomplish something amazing in live action. It reminds us of the amazing things people can do with creativity and collaboration. This is where Kail shines, understanding how to orchestrate a multitude of dancers and actors to create a dynamic stage. However, when it’s a movie that focuses on Moana, this fact is lost.

Part of the problem is the aforementioned Disney Channel acting style, which actually makes this Moana feel softer than Auliʻi Cravalho’s voice acting in the original film. Another issue is the sound quality itself. From the early scenes with Moana’s big dad (John Tui) through her many scenes with Maui, the audio recording has that unique ADR sheen. Often, additional dialogue is recorded in production to smooth over rough spots in the audio set (or to make changes to the script). Here, this sound quality is so overwhelming that it draws attention back to the art surrounding Moana.

From there, how can I ignore that sequence after sequence seems to be shot on a green screen? Although the ocean scene is convincingly rendered by an army of VFX artists, the absence of air in the air and the cool lines around the characters all draw attention to the missions. Even Johnson’s Maui looks weird. Her wig – which was widely ridiculed online – is completely coiffed, like it’s from a shampoo commercial, creating a face that’s sleek but flawless in texture. Then his body is covered with Maui’s signature tattoos. But it feels like a good corpse game, as if these three pieces of clothing/makeup were made independently and then put together. They don’t have a cohesive look, like most of these Moana. So, instead of being caught up in the usual waves of an amazing story, I was reeling from the WTF rocks I’m looking at.

Rooster Heihei in Disney’s live-action “Moana.”
Credit: Disney

I’m sure a lot of work has gone into making this remake something that fans will love. But Moana then it falls into the usual trap that Disney has created with these movies. Fans want something familiar but new enough to justify the cost of the ticket. It goes without saying that this Disney princess action-adventure may seem like a good opportunity for a live-action adaptation. But Kail is not an action director, either Moana it doesn’t offer the kind of song numbers that rely on dance in a way At the height again Hamilton do. Kail looks lost in the midst of the film’s spectacular CG, which, while solidly rendered, lacks the sense of artistic direction beyond “the original.” Moana.”

So, the result is a film that misses the point of its character’s journey. Rather than go into new territory, Kail and company avoid acquisitions, instead choosing to adapt popular IP. And in that way, it feels like AI. It does not sound like an honest, human statement, but rather a shallow limitation that may have a general appearance but miss the soul of the original work.

Moana opens in theaters July 10.