It’s all there, but is it? This live action version of the beloved animated Moana just doesn’t tug the heartstrings that enchanted kids 10 years go even with Lin Manuel Miranda’s songs kids still sing. Dwayne Johnson is back in the flesh, so to speak. Hard to tell under his bulked up prosthetics covered with animated tattoos that can move.This version is slow to ramp up to the action and darker, but still ok for kids.
The original animated film was written by Jared Bush, Ron Clements and John Musker. This screenplay, which basically covers shot for shot the original animated Moana was written by Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller. This is Thomas Kail’s directorial film debut, but he also worked with Manuel Miranda on the Broadway productions of In the Heights and won the Tony for directing Hamilton.
Talented Australian actress/singer Catherine Lagaʻaia stars as the 16-year-old wayfinder, who ventures beyond the forbidden reef boundary on an epic quest to save her home island of Motunui. Original voice of Moana, Chloe Auliʻi Cravalho is back as an Executive Producer, but only sings a new Manuel Miranda song “Along the Way” in this film with Catherine Laga’aia over the credits. Cravalho was in Mean Girls: The Musical 2024, and more recently performing on stage in London and on Broadway.
Laga’aia beat out 32,000 others who auditioned to be the lead in this live action film, explaining that being an actress is in her genes. She considers herself a nepo-baby, following in her actor father Jay Laga’aia footsteps. He is a Samoan actor who starred in the second and third Star Wars prequels. Also interesting to note that Laga’aia graduated from the same performing arts high school as fellow Aussie actress Milly Alcock who just starred in the new Supergirl.
As the story goes, Moana warned by her father, Chief Tui (John Tui)), never to go out into the ocean, even though it seems to draw her away and out to sea with her best friends, cockeyed chicken Heihei and Pua the pig, characters we don’t see enough of. Moana’s parents are trying to keep her safe at home so she can prepare to be the leader of her people. There is really only one person with whom Moana has a deep emotional connection. It’s her grandmother, Gramma Tala (Rena Owen) Tui’s mother. She and Moana are both passionate about the ocean, and are very close.
Moana goes out to sea on her own and gets in trouble, almost drowning, when she is trying to fend off the fiery God that is after the brilliant magical stone that gives her special powers and protection. The ocean gods chose Moana to go wayfaring to find Maui (Johnson) who can help her find the glowing green relic that can save the world. From there she is facing dangerous waters with monsters and demons for plenty of seafaring action while having to deal with mischievous Maui. It’s shipwreck after shipwreck throwing them both into the sea, barely able to survive.
Johnson is still fun as the jovial, self-centered, but frustrating character who is pretend-friendly but not helpful. He also gets to show off having the biggest personality of the cast. Johnson wears a body suit to make him looked even more bulked up to approximate the look his animated character had in the original film. There is extensive tattoo work covering the body suit that become animated extensions of Maui himself, mimicking the same used in the original film.
Johnson is also fitted with the long, flowing wig, again, taken from the animated film. It is ridiculously buffoonish headgear even Johnson acknowledges as a fun aspect of the character. He even makes fun of his long curly strands in the film. Johnson rarely takes himself too seriously.
Maui and Moana bond fighting the coconut-armored Kakamora and the lava monster Te Kā (Jermaine Clement) in epic battles. But it’s CG technology along with traditional animation that create the underwater action and fight scenes.
Moana does honor to the beauty, culture, and people of the islands in the South Pacific. But, ironically, this cg heavy re-creation seems more like a cartoon. Less heartwarming, Disney hasn’t found the secret to bringing its animated classic back to life.
Walt Disney Pictures 1 Hour 55 Minutes PG
