Another live-action Disney remake is on the cusp of hitting theaters and, this time, it’s Moana that’s being brought to life. Directed by Thomas Kali, the film retells the story from the franchise’s inaugural 2016 installment and sees Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as the demigod Maui. A lot has been said about the remake in the lead-up to its release on the 2026 movie schedule, and the first reactions are now pouring. Those who’ve been following the chatter for months may be able to guess the adjective that keeps getting used.
For some time now, Disney fans have shared thoughts on the live-action versions of some of its most beloved animated films. Some of those remakes have been praised – like Cinderella and The Jungle Book – while others – such as Snow White and Dumbo – have been panned. “Unecessary” is a word that’s thrown around quite often when it comes to a number of these movies, and it’s coming up again in the live-action Moana reactions. It came up when Matt Neglia shared his brutally honest take:
MOANA (2026) shows just how far Disney will go for a quick and easy buck, producing another unnecessary, nearly shot-for-shot, beat-for-beat live-action remake that doesn’t offer anything new that wasn’t already done better just ten years ago. The visuals are so flat, with a heavy reliance on green-screen use and CGI for so many of its locations, water effects, creatures, and even the musical numbers, that it all comes across as soulless and inauthentic.
Neglia did go on to praise lead actress Catherine Laga’aia’s performance and say the songs were still “catchy and enjoyable.” Yet he also countered that he also already has an animated film to watch to soak in those great tunes. On that note, critic Doug Jamieson also dubbed this latest remake “unnecessary” and, while he also praised Laga'aia, he took issue with this retread:
MOANA is Disney’s safest and most unnecessary remake yet, recreating the animated gem with little imagination and zero reinvention. Catherine Laga'aia is charming and the songs still soar, but the shockingly flat visuals and copy-and-paste approach leave this feeling lifeless.
Additionally, the film did get a bit of faint praise from The Nerds of Color, who praised some of the visuals. But, you guessed it, the word "unnecessary" came up again:
The LA [Moana] is unnecessary, but they do enough great things visually in the first and third act to justify its existence (the second act, not so much🤮). As such, it's definitely one of the better Disney LA remakes (not saying much but it's true).
What’s interesting about the reactions in general is that even those that don’t use the word “unnecessary” still manage to convey that same sentiment. Kaitlyn Booth of Bleeding Cool also chastised this latest remake for adding very little to the mythology:
The live-action [Moana] remake is very much just that, a remake, that adds very little to the story aside from a change in medium. How they managed to make one of the most beautiful locations on Earth ugly, I will never know, but here we are. Catherine is great.
Of course, not all the reactions are completely negative. Tessa Smith shared some positive thoughts on the movie, as she praised the story as well as the chemistry between Laga'aia and (the wig-wearing) Johnson:
Honestly a little surprised to admit how much I enjoyed the live-action Moana. Catherine Laga'aia does a great job continuing the legacy (& has incredible comedic chemistry with Dwayne Johnson). There are some truly stunning shots. Gosh I love this story.
Still, it would appear that plenty of pundits are less than pleased with this finished product from the House of Mouse. Germain Lussier of Gizmodo and io9 also had this to say:
If you’re curious what [Moana] would be like slower, darker & less whimsical, boy, have I got a movie for you. The live-action remake captures some of what made the original so magical with its song scenes, but the rest of it never finds the right tone. Laga'aia innocent.
All in all, it sounds like this upcoming Disney movie may not do much to convert those who may be tired of the remakes. The film’s creative team has spoken extensively about making the movie, with The Rock having discussed the importance of keeping the franchise’s devotion to Polynesian culture intact. Based on the early reactions, there are no cultural-related complaints, but it seems this take on one of Disney’s most beloved characters doesn’t quite justify its existence.
Fans can, of course, make up their own minds by checking out Moana when it opens in theaters on July 10. In the meantime, the original 2016 film and its 2024 sequel are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.
