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Digital Phablet – Disney’s latest Moana remake receives mostly negative early reviews.
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Disney has once again transformed one of its most acclaimed animated films into a live-action version, but the early critics’ assessments are largely unfavorable for the 2016 hit, Moana.
Dwayne Johnson returns as the demigod Maui, alongside 19-year-old Australian-Samoan newcomer Catherine Laga’aia, who stars as Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian chief.
Despite its Friday release, the new adaptation has been heavily criticized as “flat,” “boring,” and “disappointing.”
However, there are some voices of praise. Owen Gleiberman of Variety commented that it “breaks free from the remake slump — in fact, it elevates above it.” He praised the film’s “beauty, humor, and fairy-tale magic,” adding that Johnson’s casting was “spot on.”
In contrast, Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian described the film as a “competent yet insignificant and dull return-to-basics live-action remake,” giving it only two stars.
He criticized Johnson’s performance as “robotic” and pointed out that CGI use was so excessive that it looked indistinguishable from animation. Bradshaw concluded that the film “feels like an unnecessary, commercially driven project.”
“‘MOANA’ debuts with just 32% on Rotten Tomatoes — one of the lowest scores ever for a Disney live-action remake. Read our review: https://t.co/tjRoIlRGDp” — DiscussingFilm, July 8, 2026
Critics have expressed that Johnson’s acting appears “automatic,” as if generated by artificial intelligence, while the heavy CGI work makes the film seem more like an animated piece than genuine live action.
Bradshaw summarized that the film “comes across as a superfluous, commercialized product.” Clarisse Loughrey from The Independent gave it just one star, calling it “a complete waste of everyone’s time and talent.” She questioned whether it’s acceptable to accept Dwayne Johnson’s unchanged vocal performance a decade after its original release.
“Pre-sales for the Moana live-action remake are underperforming more than expected. The opening weekend is projected between $45M and $60M. With a budget of around $200M, it risks becoming one of Disney’s biggest flops.” — Global Box Office, July 6, 2026
Loughrey also criticized the animation style, noting that some scenes were reportedly shot outdoors in Hawaii, not in a studio as assumed, but she couldn’t tell which.
Empire’s John Nugent described Johnson’s role as “reminiscent of an AI-generated interpretation,” and questioned the accuracy of calling it “live action,” given the heavy reliance on CGI. His two-star review called the remake “pointless,” emphasizing that the original film was a “fun, humorous, and heartfelt story with fantastic music and a fresh Polynesian perspective on the Disney princess formula.”
Many critics have echoed these sentiments, with Oli London from the Associated Press dismissing it as “heartless and ugly,” and The Telegraph suggesting it “could have been made by a ChatGPT prompt.”
Kevin Maher of The Times criticized Johnson’s age — 54 — stating he was “three decades too old” for the role and describing his performance as “inexplicably dull and subdued.” Maher labeled the film a “lazy cash grab,” lamenting that it drained the original’s lively spirit and grandeur.
Similarly, Robbie Collin from The Telegraph remarked that virtually every scene could be generated at the push of a button by typing “What if this Moana scene was remade in live action?” into an AI prompt.
Despite the widespread negative reviews, a lone positive note was struck by David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter, who called it “engaging family entertainment filled with visual interest, vibrant colors, stunning design elements, and scenic tropical locations.”
The original screenwriter Jared Bush reworked the story, while Lin-Manuel Miranda maintained his musical contributions. Hamilton’s director Thomas Kail made his feature debut with this film.
Over the past 15 years, Disney has produced more than 20 live-action remakes of its classics, with varying results. The “Little Mermaid” remake underperformed at the box office in 2023, but Disney rebounded in 2024 with “Mufasa: The Lion King.”
Last year, Disney faced a $170 million loss on its “Snow White” live-action project but recovered quickly with “Lilo & Stitch,” which grossed over $1 billion, becoming one of the year’s top performers.
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