Moana: Critics Aren't Holding Back In First Reactions To Disney's Live-Action Movie
Early reviews call the remake unnecessary and soulless, while some critics say Disney is chasing a quick box-office return.
- Following its world premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Disney's live-action Moana faces largely negative critical reactions, earning 34% on Rotten Tomatoes from 44 reviews.
- Directed by Thomas Kail, the production is a 'shot-for-shot, beat-for-beat' remake of the 2016 animated hit, prompting critics to question why Disney produced an adaptation only ten years later.
- Tyler Taing called the film 'one of the ugliest movies of the year,' while Jonathan Sim labeled it a 'creatively bankrupt cash grab' that lacks innovation and original ideas.
- Despite the negativity, newcomer Catherine Laga'aia earned praise for her performance, with critic Tessa Smith noting 'incredible comedic chemistry' between Laga'aia and co-star Dwayne Johnson.
- The film opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, July 10, following Thursday preview screenings, though early critical consensus suggests audiences may struggle to see improvements over the original.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’ Debuts With 35 Percent Review Rating, Facing Historically Bad Opening Weekend
Disney's live-action remake of "Moana" seems to be on track to a disappointing opening, with one of the lowest takes for a live-action Disney adaptation on opening weekend. And the reviews are just as bad. The post Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’ Debuts With 35 Percent Review Rating, Facing Historically Bad Opening Weekend appeared first on Breitbart.
The Rock's Moana remake is worthless. Are we surprised?
A lifeless and pointless rehash of beautiful source material that Disney seems desperate to strip-mine until even its memory is nothing more than the skeletal remains of something once vibrant and alive. In other words: Moana is Disney's newest live-action adaptation.
The Independent
Dwayne Johnson receives career-worst reviews for Moana remake
Actor’s latest stumble has seen him lambasted for the ‘fright wig’ he wears in the film, and for seeming as if ‘he is on autopilot like a piece of software’
Moana review: Dwayne Johnson keeps Disney's live-action remake afloat
Moana 2026 movie review: Disney's live-action revisits the beloved animated adventure with Catherine Laga'aia and Dwayne Johnson leading the voyage. The remake delivers spectacle and sincerity, but its safest choices leave Johnson's Maui doing much of the heavy lifting.
Moana is the apex Disney Princess, and live-action could never do her justice
If the last 15 years or so of Disney quasi-live-action remakes were as reviled in the rest of the world as they are online, they would have long ago vanished without a trace. Judging by box office receipts, audiences are particularly unable to resist the reskinning of the studio’s unstoppable 1991 to 1994 golden era: Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, three times a billion in just two years. Other remake projects have hit too, but tho…
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