Multiple reviews describe Disney’s 2016 animated hit “Moana” as reworked into a live-action remake starring Catherine Laga’aia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as the demigod Maui. The films’ creative team includes Thomas Kail, who directs the remake, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose songs are featured again, including at least one new song. The story follows Moana, a headstrong Polynesian teenager who is destined for leadership and must undertake a quest to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The lack of the heart drives an eco-crisis affecting Moana’s home island of Motunui. To complete the quest, she teams up with Maui, who seeks to recover a hook tied to his power while confronting his own nemesis, including the giant crab Tamatoa. Reviews characterize the film as competent and powered by the performances of Laga’aia and Johnson, with Kail’s directing and revived musical numbers noted across outlets. However, some critics also describe the remake as feeling repetitive or lacking urgency despite the production changes and updates.
Disney’s ‘Moana’ becomes live-action with Catherine Laga’aia and Dwayne Johnson
Multiple reviews describe Disney’s 2016 animated hit “Moana” as reworked into a live-action remake starring Catherine Laga’aia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as the demigod Maui. The f...
- Catherine Laga’aia stars as Moana and Dwayne Johnson returns as Maui.
- Thomas Kail directs the live-action remake; he is described as making his feature directing debut.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda provides songs for the film, with references to revived music and at least one new song.
- The plot centers on Moana restoring Te Fiti’s heart to address a crisis on her home island, Motunui.
- Moana joins Maui on his quest to retrieve his power-giving hook and confronts characters including Tamatoa.
Johnson reprises his role from the original animation and has fine rapport with his young co-star Catherine Laga’aia, but the whole enterprise feels cynical and pointlessDisney’s animated super-hit Moana from 2016 – having been followed up by a dull sequel two years ago – now gets a competent but basically pointless and unexciting back-to-basics live-action remake. Screenwriter Jared Bush modifies his original script, Broadway stage veteran Thomas Kail makes his movie directing debut and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs are revived. Nineteen-year-old Australian Samoan actor Catherine Laga’aia takes the role of Moana, the headstrong teen daughter of a Polynesian chief; her wise and kindly grandma Tala, who recognises Moana’s heroic leadership destiny, is played by New Zealand actor Rena Owen.Moana has to go on a quest to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, the lack of which is causing an eco-crisis on her home island of Motunui. To do this, she must join forces with the swaggeringly arrogant demigod Maui, in which role Dwayne Johnson returns in his own actual person, which is almost as cartoonishly muscly and vast as the animated version. Maui has a spurious quest of his own, to retrieve the hook which is the source of his power and to do this he must confront his own nemesis. This is the giant crab Tamatoa, which as before is voiced by Jemaine Clement and is a character which is of course just a 3D animated version of the 2D cartoon original, like Heihei, Moana’s less-than-hilarious pet chicken. Continue reading...
3 hours agoCatherine Laga'aia and Dwayne Johnson star in the live-action version of Disney's Moana, and even sing a new Lin-Manuel Miranda song.
3 hours agoThomas Kail directs this reimagining of the hit 2016 animated feature about a plucky Polynesian teenager’s coming of age, with songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
3 hours ago
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