Moana (2026) Review: Charismatic performances by Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson lift derivative live-action remake

Disney’s live-action Moana (2026) benefits from two winning performances. Catherine Laga’aia brings warmth and determination to the title role, while Dwayne Johnson effortlessly slips back into Maui. But as a nearly shot-for-shot remake of a film that’s only a decade old, it rarely justifies revisiting the journey. Thankfully, the heartfelt story and Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s unforgettable songs remain just as magical in live action, even if the visual effects occasionally undercut the spectacle.

Moana doesn’t reach the heights of Disney’s best live-action adaptations like Cinderella, The Jungle Book and Aladdin or even 2025’s How to Train Your Dragon, but it sails comfortably above disappointments such as Snow White, Dumbo and The Lion King.

Moana (2026) Overview

Laga’aia and Johnson are easily the biggest reasons to revisit Moana. While Laga’aia doesn’t quite possess the effortless vocal power of Auliʻi Cravalho, she more than makes the role her own. She captures Moana’s curiosity, determination and compassion while bringing a little more emotional maturity to the character. Johnson, questionable wig notwithstanding, slides comfortably back into Maui’s oversized ego and insecurity. His comedic timing remains impeccable. His chemistry with Laga’aia gives the film much of its charm.

If you’ve seen the 2016 animated film, you’ve essentially seen this version. Nearly every major scene, emotional beat and song returns with only minor dialogue changes. The most notable addition is a slightly warmer relationship between Moana and her father, Chief Tui (John Tui), but otherwise the story unfolds exactly as expected. Moana still defies her father’s rule against sailing beyond the reef, learns of her ancestors’ voyaging legacy from Gramma Tala and sets out to return the Heart of Te Fiti with the reluctant help of Maui.

Thankfully, the foundation remains as strong as ever. Miranda’s songs have lost none of their infectious energy, and the emotional core of Moana’s journey still resonates. The execution, however, doesn’t consistently match the animated classic. Moana’s bond with Gramma Tala lacks some of the warmth that made their scenes so memorable.

Director Thomas Kail never finds a compelling visual reason for this remake to exist. The visual effects fluctuate between impressive and distractingly artificial, and unlike Wicked, which benefited from recording live on set, Moana relies on polished studio vocals that drain some of the immediacy from its musical numbers.

Ultimately, Moana arrives too soon to justify a nearly scene-for-scene recreation of one of Disney’s most beloved modern classics. Even so, the timeless story, memorable music and winning performances from Laga’aia and Johnson make it an enjoyable if unnecessary voyage—one that still proves more satisfying than Moana 2.

Looking to compare versions? The 2016 film is available on Disney Plus.

Does Moana justify a live-action remake?

Disney’s live-action remakes tend to work best when they offer a fresh perspective on the source material rather than simply recreating it.

Cinderella expands the emotional depth of its title characters, the princess and the prince. Aladdin gives Jasmine greater agency, reshapes Jafar into a more calculating villain, and explores Genie’s life after the lamp. Even 2025’s How to Train Your Dragon found room to deepen relationships and bring its aerial action to life with practical filmmaking and updated visual effects.

Moana rarely makes that kind of creative leap. Aside from a slightly warmer dynamic between Moana and Chief Tui and a handful of new lines from Maui, the film follows the animated version almost beat-for-beat. Every major story moment, emotional revelation and musical number unfolds exactly as fans remember.

That faithfulness isn’t inherently a flaw. The original remains one of Disney’s strongest modern animated films, and its story still resonates a decade later. The problem is that this remake seldom offers a compelling reason to experience the journey in a different medium. Rather than reimagining Moana for a new audience, it mostly recreates what already worked, leaving viewers to wonder what artistic purpose this voyage was meant to serve.

 Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music remains the heart of Moana

If there’s one element that survives the transition to live action almost entirely intact, it’sMiranda’s music. Songs like “How Far I’ll Go,” “You’re Welcome” and “We Know the Way” remain as emotionally resonant and infectious as they were in 2016. The melodies are timeless, while Miranda’s lyrics continue to balance humor, heart and Polynesian storytelling with remarkable ease.

Revisiting these songs also reinforces what was missing from Moana 2. Without Miranda’s songwriting, the sequel never produced an anthem that lingered in the same way or matched the emotional weight of the original soundtrack. Hearing these songs again is a reminder that they aren’t just memorable because they’re catchy. They reveal character, advance the story and give Moana’s journey an emotional heartbeat.

Even when the live-action visuals don’t quite recapture the wonder of the animated film, Miranda’s music consistently fills that gap. It’s the rare Disney soundtrack where nearly every number serves a narrative purpose, making it clear why the original remains the studio’s best modern musical.

Moana (2026) Final Thoughts

Disney’s live-action remake of Moana is ultimately a reminder of just how well the studio got it right the first time. Laga’aia proves herself a worthy successor to Cravalho and Johnson once again steals nearly every scene as Maui. However, their performances can’t overcome the feeling that this adventure didn’t need to be retold so soon.

That doesn’t make Moana a failure. Families discovering the story for the first time will still find an uplifting tale about courage, identity and embracing one’s destiny. The film is entertaining in spurts and buoyed by one of Disney’s greatest modern soundtracks.

The problem is that it rarely leaves its own mark. The best live-action remakes stand alongside their animated counterparts by offering a new perspective or expanding the story in meaningful ways. Moana instead settles for faithfully recreating what already existed with less visual panache. It’s an enjoyable voyage with a talented cast and enduring music, but once the credits roll, the animated original remains the version you’ll most likely want to revisit.

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