The live-action Moana had its Los Angeles premiere tonight, and the first social reactions are beginning to come in from the event. The musical adventure film is Disney’s latest attempt to turn its animated hits into live-action ones as well, and while it might feel a bit too soon to turn the 2016 animated film into one of these efforts, the Moana franchise has proven to be very successful across two movies. Is the live-action Moana a bona fide smash, or is it time for Disney to retire rehashing animated efforts for a quick cash grab? Let’s see what the first reactions have to say.
What Are The First Reactions Saying?
Unfortunately, it looks like the live-action Moana follows a similar trajectory to most of these recent Disney adaptations, merely being a carbon copy of the animated film without its potent vibrancy. Some criticisms note that the film’s visual aesthetic isn’t as breathtaking as its animated counterpart, with some saying it looks downright ugly.
Another criticism of the film, based on early reactions, is that it all feels rather pointless since the animated Moana hasn’t reached the nostalgia level of their other films to be given this live-action treatment, and that it feels like a quick cash grab that is essentially a shot-for-shot remake without the heart and soul that made the animated film a favorite.
It’s not all bad for Moana, however, as Catherine Laga’aia is getting solid notices for her energetic performance as the titular character, and Dwayne Johnson exudes the same chemistry as Maui that he brought to his previous vocal performance, alongside fun chemistry with Laga’aia. You can check out some of the first reactions below.
What Is Moana About?
Moana serves as a live-action adaptation of the popular 2016 animated film that went on to gross $687.2 million worldwide and was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song for “How Far I’ll Go.” It also spawned a sequel, originally intended as a Disney+ original, that was ultimately released theatrically and grossed a staggering $1.059 billion and went on to earn a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Directed by Thomas Kail in his feature directorial debut and from a screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux, the live-action film follows Moana (Catherine Laga’aia in her film debut) as she is prompted by the summons from the ocean to depart the island of Motunui for the very first time to travel past the barrier reef. On her journey, she is joined by the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role from the animated films), as she embarks on a voyage to restore the well-being of her community. The film also stars Rena Owen, John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Jemaine Clement.
Moana hits screens nationwide on July 10.
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