Is Disney’s Moana Live-Action Remake Just Another Cash Grab? (Yawn)
Photo by Logoover23 via Wikimedia Commons — CC0. Resized.
Well, it seems Disney is at it again with their latest live-action adaptation of Moana, and the buzz is about as exciting as a day-old bagel. With an alleged budget of $200 million, this remake is raising eyebrows for its stunning ability to bring nothing new to the party. Remember the animated version from 2016? Yeah, they basically turned that into a CGI movie with fresh faces but same stale charm (but not enough).
The star here is a certain young actress named Catherine Laga'aia, who's reportedly adding a sprinkle of charisma to the role of Moana—too bad we have to endure her American accent when her delightful Aussie voice would’ve been a treat. Meanwhile, the mighty Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui, the narcissistic demigod. But honestly, it feels like we just hit rewind on a movie we've already seen.
It’s like Disney cracked open the vault, dusted off the old formula, and served it up with a side of CGI. Sure, the Polynesian princess is all about restoring her island's lushness and heart, but the real heart seems MIA in this whole pointless remake. Anyway, good for them, I guess.
Keep that iced coffee cold, folks—this one’s a snooze.
—Kit