Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Live action Moana out of the theater reaction — I just walked out of Disney’s new live-action Moana, and honestly, it’s just fine.
In this video, I’m giving my immediate reaction to the live-action remake of Moana, starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui. And while this is not a disaster, it is also not something that feels all that special.
That is really the biggest issue.
The original animated Moana is already so vibrant, emotional, colorful, musical, and full of life. So when the live-action version follows so much of that same blueprint, the entire time I kept asking myself: why am I not just watching the original?
This version gives you basically what you expect from a modern Disney live-action remake. It is familiar. It has the songs. It has the story. It has Maui. It has the ocean. It has the emotional beats. But it does not always find enough of a reason to exist beyond recreating something that already worked beautifully in animation.
That said, there are positives.
Catherine Lagaʻaia is incredibly charming as Moana.
Dwayne Johnson is still Dwayne Johnson as Maui, and yes, the live-action hair is definitely a choice. There is fun to be had with him returning, but again, it constantly puts you in comparison mode
That is where this live-action version struggles most for me.
The world of Moana was made for animation. The ocean, the colors, the mythology, the musical sequences, Maui’s shapeshifting, the living tattoos, the larger-than-life action — all of that feels more magical when animated. In live action, some of that wonder is still there, but it never reaches the same level.
In this out-of-the-theater reaction, I discuss:
My immediate thoughts on the live-action Moana
Why I think it is just fine
Why it does not feel that special
Catherine Lagaʻaia’s performance as Moana
Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui
The comparison to the animated original
Why the original still works better
The songs and musical moments
The visuals and live-action approach
Why Disney remakes keep running into this problem
Whether this version justifies its existence
The live-action Moana is not awful.
If you enjoyed this out-of-the-theater reaction, make sure to like the video, subscribe, and comment whether you are excited for the live-action Moana or if you’re sticking with the original. Look out for my full review coming soon!
Time Stamps
0:00 - Expectations for Moana
2:31 - Moana Reaction
#Moana #disney #moanareview
Find Me!
Instagram: instagram.com/zachhpope/?hl=en
Twitter(X): twitter.com/popetheking
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@zachhpope?lang=en
Business Inquires: Zachpopereviews@gmail.com
Live action Moana out of the theater reaction — I just walked out of Disney’s new live-action Moana, and honestly, it’s just fine.
In this video, I’m giving my immediate reaction to the live-action remake of Moana, starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui. And while this is not a disaster, it is also not something that feels all that special.
That is really the biggest issue.
The original animated Moana is already so vibrant, emotional, colorful, musical, and full of life. So when the live-action version follows so much of that same blueprint, the entire time I kept asking myself: why am I not just watching the original?
This version gives you basically what you expect from a modern Disney live-action remake. It is familiar. It has the songs. It has the story. It has Maui. It has the ocean. It has the emotional beats. But it does not always find enough of a reason to exist beyond recreating something that already worked beautifully in animation.
That said, there are positives.
Catherine Lagaʻaia is incredibly charming as Moana.
Dwayne Johnson is still Dwayne Johnson as Maui, and yes, the live-action hair is definitely a choice. There is fun to be had with him returning, but again, it constantly puts you in comparison mode
That is where this live-action version struggles most for me.
The world of Moana was made for animation. The ocean, the colors, the mythology, the musical sequences, Maui’s shapeshifting, the living tattoos, the larger-than-life action — all of that feels more magical when animated. In live action, some of that wonder is still there, but it never reaches the same level.
In this out-of-the-theater reaction, I discuss:
My immediate thoughts on the live-action Moana
Why I think it is just fine
Why it does not feel that special
Catherine Lagaʻaia’s performance as Moana
Dwayne Johnson returning as Maui
The comparison to the animated original
Why the original still works better
The songs and musical moments
The visuals and live-action approach
Why Disney remakes keep running into this problem
Whether this version justifies its existence
The live-action Moana is not awful.
If you enjoyed this out-of-the-theater reaction, make sure to like the video, subscribe, and comment whether you are excited for the live-action Moana or if you’re sticking with the original. Look out for my full review coming soon!
Time Stamps
0:00 - Expectations for Moana
2:31 - Moana Reaction
#Moana #disney #moanareview
Find Me!
Instagram: instagram.com/zachhpope/?hl=en
Twitter(X): twitter.com/popetheking
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@zachhpope?lang=en
Business Inquires: Zachpopereviews@gmail.com
