Moana (2026) — Review

Disney’s live-action Moana is an almost shot-for-shot faithful adaptation of the source material, and in doing so, delivers something comforting for fans and audiences. Behind the music most of us can sing or hum along to, to the recognition of the energetic Maui, there’s something beyond familiar to the film, and why shouldn’t there be? Moana charts several milestones for Disney, as it has the shortest window between when the original animated film and live-action remake premiered – a mere nine years and 7 months.

It also has the added appeal of having one of the voice leads, Dwayne Johnson (Jungle Cruise), reprise his role as Maui, but this time in live-action as well. While James Earl Jones revisited the live-action The Lion King (2019), both were voice only, and what better way to connect a fresh remake with audiences young and er, younger, with a global talent known the world over? The only question is, what exactly defines live action?

With a narrative that takes place mostly out at sea, with fantastical sea creatures and mythological beings, the movie has human actors and starts off on land, but otherwise, the majority of the film is a CGI-laden affair. Like the animals in The Lion King remake, there’s a line to be drawn as to what’s real and realistic. Disney’s live-action remakes over the years have come in different forms, and while there have been varying levels of success, this sits somewhere that’s also challenging to place.

While it shares similarities with The Lion King and The Jungle Book (2016), this is technically not a photorealistic re-creation like those were, even if it follows the original and is an almost carbon copy that plays it too safe. It’s also not an active reimagination of the likes of Maleficent (2014),  Alice in Wonderland (2010) or Snow White (2025), which introduced new elements and is almost an expanded story that’s darker than the source material.

With the songs that flood the film, it’s less Mulan (2020), which nixed all the singing from the animated film, and serves as a faithful musical retelling, ala Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Aladdin (2019) that unfortunately doesn’t deepen any backstory.

Newcomer Catherine ‘Kate’ Laga’aia takes on the role of Moana, and she is definitely the best thing the film has to offer. While possessing the same innocence and determination of the animated version, Laga’aia is also clearly having fun and her singing, from the iconic How Far I’ll Go to We Know The Way, is not a copy but a new take that sounds a lot like the original Moana voice actress, Auliʻi Cravalho, in some parts. In fact, the highlight is the end credits, where noted producer and original songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote Along the Way, a new song that features the voices of Auli’i Cravalho and Catherine Laga’aia, along with Dwayne Johnson, in a unique musical piece that connects the three as only a song can. In fact, this approach offers more meaning than having Cravalho, who also produced this film, appear in some glorified cameo, which she thankfully did not.

Sadly, the one thing that doesn’t work is Johnson himself, returning as Maui. This is a man known for his over-the-top energy in wrestling, which was then amplified across a lucrative and amazing film career, and Disney took that persona and developed Maui, a more-than-explosive character that took the best of Johnson and dialled it up. A decade later, we have Johnson revisiting this character, but he’s older, and while this Maui is as entertaining, the live-action version lacks the spirit and playfulness of the animated Maui we know, who is based on Johnson that Johnson himself cannot possibly imitate. 

If you’re a fan of the original, you’ll embrace this version, sing along to the music, but it cannot, should not and will not replace the original. Which begs the question – why do this in the first place? 

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?