How do you know you’re special? Sometimes, destiny first speaks through the pulse within. One such prodigy is Moana from Motunui. The future chief of her beautiful island, she knew from day one that she was born to do big things. The spirited teen girl was the chosen one to restore the heart of the goddess of nature, Te Fiti, and save her island from perishing. It’s a story we’ve seen before in 2016, and I’ll happily watch the young Polynesian girl’s journey to greatness another time every decade. That said, the question remains: will the little warrior’s courage and sweet-natured plot be enough to pull it through?
With director Thomas Kail bringing Moana to a new format and a larger scale, the first thing we ask is what’s new in store. This time, the set pieces are massive, the staging is designed to match any superhero blockbuster, and the visuals are hypnotic in every way. Set amid island life, Moana naturally basks in picture-postcard beauty. Yet, while emerging technology gifts Kail’s film its striking visual language, it also becomes its primary bane. The reason? For much of the narrative, the emotions dissolve amid the digital splendor. It hurts all the more because we felt those very emotions so deeply, and not so long ago.
A major chunk of the film concentrates on the relationship between Moana (Catherine Laga’aia) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson). However, theirs is not a dynamic that transforms the film. It exists, but it never burns bright enough to keep you invested in the duo. That’s also because the film is so preoccupied with recreating the beats of the original that it rarely pauses to rediscover these characters for live action.
In fact, Hei Hei is the more interesting character this time. The CGI rooster provides great comic relief for a movie that is already pretty light, and I found myself rooting for his survival. And Moana? Well, I knew she’d figure it out, but by then I realized that the much-needed extra wave of affection for the young champ was missing on my part.
The same can be said about Maui, a beloved character and a much-loved interpretation by Johnson. He is interesting, but only to the extent that the film wants him to be. The demigod never leaps off the screen to win our hearts in ways he didn’t with his voice alone. In a minor detour, Moana earns brownie points when the duo encounters Tamatoa, whom Jemaine Clement clearly has a lot of fun playing. This chapter has better lines and stronger narrative tension than the key conflicts before and after it.
Moana‘s final stretch is where you expect the emotions to explode as the heart is returned to Te Fiti. Instead, what unfolds is a spectacle that is showy yet never intimate enough for us to feel for either party. An absolute delight, even through the sloppy portions, are the re-recorded songs. They manage to infuse some character into a story that already contains everything needed to warm our hearts.
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While the screenplay isn’t particularly bad, the dialogue needed a lot more personality, considering live action is a lot different from animation. That said, no department falters as badly as the direction, which would rather watch the highlights than play a fresh match.
The performances, too, are a mixed bag, mainly because there is only so much the film lets the cast do. Laga’aia is a fine discovery, and her screen presence is sure to take her places. It is a delight to watch her hold her own when Johnson, towering in every sense, is right there beside her. Johnson himself is very good, but most would agree that he has seen better days, barring those immaculately diffused curly locks he flaunts. A notable disappointment among the principal cast is Rena Owen as Gramma Tala. The character should have melted our hearts, but the performance lacks the nuance needed to connect with anyone beyond very young children.
Ultimately, Moana turns out to be a film that emerges more from market demand, driven to capitalize on a universally accepted story. What’s missing isn’t technical excellence but genuine creative impulse. A remake cannot survive on reverence alone. It must also justify its own existence. Moana barely manages that, even though it is impossible not to admire the magnificent display of artistry across the production design, sound, VFX, and cinematography. If only top-notch technique alone could elevate a product running low on creative fuel.
VERDICT: ★★ 1/2
Read more reviews of Moana by the Film Critics Guild HERE.
