Updated

Updated · Variety · Jul 8

Disney’s Live-Action Moana Wins Praise Ahead of July 10 Release as Dwayne Johnson Anchors Remake

Updated

Updated · Variety · Jul 8

Disney’s Live-Action Moana Wins Praise Ahead of July 10 Release as Dwayne Johnson Anchors Remake

Q: Is Catherine Laga'aia's debut strong enough to save a remake critics are calling creatively bankrupt?

Not on the evidence available so far. Early reaction suggests Catherine Laga'aia is one of the remake’s clearest strengths, but not enough by itself to overcome broader complaints that the film is too derivative. The strongest praise in the first social-media responses is aimed at Laga'aia. Attendees called her performance captivating, noted her comedic chemistry with Dwayne Johnson, and pointed to her emotional presence as a reason the film still carries some of the original’s spirit. For a debut feature performance, that is a meaningful early win, especially in a role so closely tied to Auliʻi Cravalho’s beloved original turn. But the criticism surrounding the film is larger than any one actor can fix. Many early viewers described the remake as a “shot-for-shot” or “beat-for-beat” retread of the 2016 animated film, with little creative justification for revisiting material that is only a decade old and follows a 2024 animated sequel. Some also criticized the visuals as flat and questioned Dwayne Johnson’s Maui, suggesting the film’s problems are structural, aesthetic and conceptual. That leaves Laga'aia in a familiar position for remakes under fire: she may be able to make the film watchable, even appealing for some audiences, without changing the central argument against its existence. If full reviews echo the premiere reactions, the likely verdict will be that her debut helps “Moana” more than it saves it.

3 articles · Updated · Variety · Jul 8

Official reviews shifted the conversation around Disney’s live-action “Moana,” calling it one of the studio’s strongest remakes and saying it captures the original’s beauty, humor and enchantment.
Dwayne Johnson’s return as Maui and Catherine Laga’aia’s screen debut as Moana were cited as central strengths, with critics praising their chemistry and Laga’aia’s performance of “How Far I’ll Go.”
Thomas Kail’s film also drew credit for CG-heavy visuals that blend live action with animation, from the talking ocean and Kakamora to Maui’s tattoo and shape-shifting.
The positive notices mark a sharp turn from reactions earlier on July 8, when social media and some first takes had dismissed the film as an unnecessary, soulless cash grab before its July 10 theatrical release.