Moana (English) Review {2.0/5} & Review Rating
Star Cast: Catherine Laga'aia, Dwayne Johnson
Director: Thomas Kail
Moana Movie Review Synopsis:
MOANA is the story of a young girl who teams up with a demigod to save her island. Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) lives on the island of Motunui with her father, village chief Tui (John Tui), her mother, Sina (Frankie Adams), and her grandmother, Tala (Rena Owen). Since childhood, Moana has longed to venture beyond the island and explore the ocean. However, Tui has strictly forbidden the residents from sailing beyond the reef. Meanwhile, the trees on Motunui begin to wither, while the fishermen complain that there are no fish left in the sea. With the island’s very existence under threat, Tala encourages Moana to embark on a dangerous voyage. She reveals that the ocean had chosen Moana for a noble mission when she was a child and had entrusted her with an oval-shaped greenstone – the heart of Te Fiti, the goddess of nature. The heart had been stolen by Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a shape-shifting demigod of the wind and sea and a master wayfinder. However, Maui lost it while attempting to escape after the theft. Tala believes that if Moana can find Maui and convince him to restore the heart of Te Fiti, Motunui and the other islands can be saved from destruction. Against her father’s wishes, Moana sets out on a perilous journey across the ocean. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Moana Movie Story Review:
The story is fascinating. Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller's screenplay is okay and too similar to the original 2016 animated flick. The same applies to the dialogues.
Thomas Kail's direction is not upto the mark. To give credit where it's due, the film is a visual spectacle. He has made sure the characters look convincing and as similar as possible to the animated MOANA. Some slight changes have been made here and there. For instance, a funny line is added when Maui steals the heart of Te Fiti; it wasn't in the original version. The film doesn't bore and moves at a brisk pace.
On the flipside, the film’s biggest drawback is its timing. The live-action remake arrives far too soon, while the original animated film is still fresh in the minds of viewers. Moreover, MOANA 2 released less than two years ago, while a third instalment is already in the works. In the midst of this, the need for a live-action remake makes little sense. One can't help but draw parallels and the animated version fares better. This is because the original gave the makers scope to add much more humour and cuteness. The remake falls short in that regard. As a result, for viewers who watched and loved the original, the live-action version offers very little that feels new or exciting.
Moana | Official Trailer | Dwayne Johnson, Catherine Laga’aia
Moana Movie Review Performances:
Catherine Laga'aia is aptly cast as Moana. Her performance is inconsistent; while she does great in most places, she also falters in a few sequences, particularly her expressions. Dwayne Johnson is highly entertaining and, in many ways, is the saving grace of the film. Rena Owen tries her best but fails to convincingly play the part of the crazy village lady. Once again, the strong recall value of the character from the animated MOANA works against the live-action version. John Tui and Frankie Adams lend able support. Jemaine Clement is great as the voice of Tamatoa.
Moana movie music and other technical aspects:
Mark Mancina's music is the same as the original and falls short. The background score is exhilarating.
Óscar Faura's cinematography is breathtaking. The VFX matches global standards but is too polished and even unreal, especially in the finale. John Myhre's production design is appealing while Liz McGregor's costumes are appropriate. Melanie Ann Oliver's editing is satisfactory.
Moana Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, MOANA is visually spectacular and benefits from Dwayne Johnson’s entertaining performance, but it falters as an unnecessary live-action remake that offers little freshness, humour or charm compared to the beloved animated original. At the box office, the film is likely to struggle due to a lack of a compelling reason for audiences to revisit the same story.