Moana (2026) review – More a follower than wayfinder

When it comes to live-action remakes of Disney animated movies, there are two kinds: the first, and rarer, is where filmmakers explore beyond expectation, shaking things up storywise and offering audiences something new. The second is a near shot-for-shot copy of the original, putting all its chips on the idea that audiences want to see all their favourite characters, moments and musical numbers revisited in flesh and blood.

The brand-new remake of Moana falls in the second category. That said, it features so much CGI that it feels like it barely qualifies as live-action. The immediate question then is, “What’s the point?” and honestly, apart for trying to recapture the success of last year’s Lilo & Stitch, and forget that Snow White ever happened, 2026’s Moana doesn’t really have one.

To be fair, the new Moana isn’t bad. It’s a solid “fine” as it ticks every box associated with the decade-old hit from Walt Disney Animation Studios that it’s aping. So we have young heroine Moana (newcomer Catherine Laga’aia) defying the wishes of her chief father, and heading out beyond the reef of Motunui, their Polynesian island home, on a mission to restore the heart of nature goddess Te Fiti. If Moana can do that, then her village will be saved from a spreading blight. Her quest leads to a reluctant team-up with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, now physically embodying the role he previously voiced), and together they face such threats as diminutive but dangerous Kakamora pirates, treasure-hoarding crab Tamatoa (voiced once more by Jemaine Clement), and enraged lava monster Te Kā.

The thing is, it’s all lacking energy and a reason to be emotionally invested. Despite being partially filmed in lush Hawaii, most of the time it comes across like Laga’aia and Johnson are standing in front of a green screen as the only real beings in the film (barring the inhabitants of Motunui). It’s hard to care when everything is fake – and that includes cross-eyed rooster Heihei and adorable pet pig Pua. Possibly the one exception is a rousing sequence that shows Moana’s ancestors bravely crossing oceans en masse on their small watercraft, as well as the film’s genuinely impressive depiction of Te Fiti.

With a relaxed, increasingly tender rapport, Laga’aia and Johnson never feel like they’re going through the motions at least. They’re clearly sincerely committed to their roles. However, they still come across as weirdly devoid of expressiveness and spirit when compared to their animated equivalents.

Maybe if you’ve never seen an animated Moana movie (1 or 2), you’ll find something here. Maybe you’re the real target audience after all. As it stands, we’ve ended up in a strange situation where, in comparing animated pixels to filmed real-life performers, it’s the latter that is lacking in credible vitality, coming across simply as a bland imitation of what came before.

Moana (2026) is in cinemas, including IMAX, from 10 July.