Movie Review - Moana
In general, I’m not a fan of the *let’s make a live-action adaptation of a classic animation because *CASH. But you know, this was pretty good. And let’s face it. It’s all because of The Rock.
Almost Line For Line Identical To The Animation, and that's okay
The original script obviously worked, so why try to improve it? There's plenty of comedy that works without trying too hard. But I think the appeal of the movie comes from the message of believing and following your inner call that Moana follows, and the growth of Maui as he rediscovers his purpose and, most importantly, apologizes in the end for all the suffering he caused by stealing the creation stone in the first place.
What surprised me was just how little singing there is in the movie. I really don't like musicals and right off the bat in this movie is a long song and dance that gave me dread for the rest of the movie. But that first song was practically the last. There's a little singing here and there, but it doesn't drag on. Like the point of the movie is to tell a story, not sing a song at every opportunity.
Catherine Lagaʻaia was great. Her performance actually seemed to get better as the movie went on. I'm very curious if they filmed this linearly, because that's rarely done.
Best Character Fit Ever?
When I’m geeking with my friends, a common question I like to ask is, “If you could pick one actor who made a fictional role entirely impossible for anyone else to ever play, who would it be?” When I think of this, the two that leap to mind are:
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor
- Ian McKellen as Gandalf
- Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine
- Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool
Now, I have to add Dwayne Johnson as Maui. I can’t imagine there’s another person on the planet who has the charisma and physique to play Maui.
Grade: A-
| Rated: | (PG) Brief Thematic Elements | Action/Peril | Rude Humor | Some Scary Images |
| Genres: | Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy |
| USA release date: | 2026-07-08 |
| Movie length: | 115 minutes |
| Starring: | Catherine Lagaʻaia, Dwayne Johnson, Rena Owen, John Tui |
| Director: | Thomas Kail |
| Writer(s): | Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Miller |
| Language: | en |
| Country: | US |
Plot
Moana answers the Ocean’s call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with the infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.
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