‘Moana’ Review: The Disney Live-Action Remake That’s Really Worth Your Time

About ten years ago, the first Moana hit animated movies and show the world what professional wrestling fans already know: Dwayne Johnson he can sing.

More importantly, however, the film was a game changer Walt Disney and it opened the door to broader representation in stories like this one — centered around Polynesian characters, except for Jemaine Clement, who plays a giant crab who loves jewelry. Moana, in its first two animated installments, continued the refreshing trend started by Frozen and Brave, subverting the princess romance that had long been established as a Disney staple.

All of this is to say that, as the father of a 7-year-old girl, these movies have been on constant rotation in my home and burned their way into my memory bank. So, I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that, when I first heard that Disney was making a live-action Moana, I couldn’t help but feel that this was all about making money off of the IP and nothing else.

Read more: How Disney made waves with its iconic ‘Moana’

To be clear, Disney’s live-action Moana (which hits theaters Friday) is a completely unnecessary addition to the franchise. But despite that, it’s fun. In fact, the most fun I’ve ever had in a theater was watching one of these songs re-enacted live. And that relieves me, because I didn’t want to see anyone else Will Smith-as-Genie-from Aladdin situation to play on the big screen.

That’s not to say I didn’t have my reservations. During the opening moments of the film, which builds up Moana’s family and the town of Motonui, I found myself tired as things started slowly. Similar musical numbers and plot points from the 2016 film inform the story beats.

I’ve seen these moments in animated form, and while the music and dance numbers are connected (thanks for being real, live people singing and dancing), it felt like I was seeing another example of a live-action adaptation falling into the traps of remaking its predecessors without adding anything new or noteworthy to the mix.

However, that fear was short-lived, thanks to the introduction of Catherine Laga’aia as the titular hero. Her performance, alongside Rena Owen, who warms up the screen as her grandmother Tala, is a joy and sets the stage for the journey to continue.

The circumstances of the story are the same: Moana goes outside the rock, after warnings that her father Chief Tui will not find her, to find the goddess Maui, who steals the green stone heart of the earth goddess Te Fiti, to save her village from the increasing destruction that has followed.

When Moana hits the beach, the movie opens itself up to exist as an enhancement to the original animated release, rather than a replacement. Instead of singing songs from classic movies like they were ten years ago, all the hits are re-recorded and delivered in a natural way that feels right for this movie.

Maybe it feels that way because director Thomas Kail, best known for helming Hamilton, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the guy who brought that Broadway juggernaut to life, are joining their creative forces together again here.

It’s worth noting that this is Laga’aia’s big screen, and his talent is contagious. Bright and determined, every song she sings lights up the screen. And his acting skills make him a formidable scene partner for Dwayne Johnson, who turns out to be the late god Maui.

I am happy to write those words. When the trailer first crossed the film, I, like many others, couldn’t get over the disturbing nature of that wig she’s wearing. It brought me back to his 2014 effort to bring Hercules to life on the big screen.

Thankfully, those luscious locks weren’t the distraction I was expecting. Johnson’s third outing as a Maui standout. If you’ve looked at the actor’s social media, you’ve seen him delivering the rap lyrics to his hit song “Welcome” many times to young fans. Seeing him do it here, all out, with Fabio hair and tattoos, comes as an exclamation point at the end of a satisfying sentence.

Johnson is in on the joke; he knows what makes Maui tick, and even now, in a live-action film, he brings new layers to the role. He is intellectual, egomaniacal and funny. He brings big daddy power to the screen here, and with Laga’aia by his side, his god is more flawed, human and engaging than his animated counterpart.

As live-action as this Moana is, there’s still plenty of CGI animation featured throughout. The ocean is magical, there are those weird coconut pirates lurking in the mist, and the giant lava monster, Te Kā, is just as terrifying here as it was in the first film. None of these examples are out of place in the movie, however. These visual sequences don’t overshadow the story — they add to it, effectively expanding Moana’s story world in surprising and beautiful ways.

An example of this is Moana and Maui’s run in with the coconut crab Tamatoa (also voiced by Clement). The mix of colors, the glittering jeweled crab and the spectacle from her rendition of the song Shiny, was a sight to behold.

It’s all a sight to behold, really. Disney’s live-action Moana won. Its themes of legacy, self-determination, and destiny are as strong as ever. The movie doesn’t replace what came before it — but it shouldn’t. I think you can look at it as an important companion piece to the original. That’s what I do, and I can’t wait to show it to my daughter. Hello!