Critics Slam Disney's Live-action 'Moana' as Empty and Lacking

WHO:

AP - Auliʻi Cravalho arrived at the premiere of "Moana" on July 7, 2026, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Fox News - Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as Maui in Disney's live-action remake of "Moana."

Yahoo - Catherine Laga'aia stars as the adventurous wayfinder Moana in the live-action remake.

WHAT:

Deadline - Disney's live-action "Moana" made $4.5 million in previews from Thursday showtimes that began at 2 PM.

Fox News - Critics have described the live-action remake as "a lifeless retread," arguing that it "saps" the story of its imagination and soul.

Yahoo - The live-action remake currently holds a 36% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, which is a decrease from the previously reported 37%.

BBC - The film received two stars from a critic who stated, "there is barely a moment in it which feels as if it couldn't have been achieved by typing: 'What if this scene from Moana was remade in live action?' into a prompt box."

Fox News - Critics have described the live-action remake of "Moana" as "purposeless," with the Associated Press review stating it features Dwayne Johnson with "Fabio hair."

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" currently holds a 36% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, which is a decrease from the previously reported 37%.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" has a Metacritic score of 45, unchanged from previous reports.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" is reported to need to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office performance of its 2016 animated version, which is consistent with earlier figures.

Fox News - The live-action remake of "Moana" has received a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, which is an update from the previously reported 36% score.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" currently holds a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score based on 76 reviews.

Yahoo - Critics have described the live-action remake as "Disney's safest and most unnecessary remake yet."

Fox News - The live-action remake of "Moana" debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 38% positive rating.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" has a critics' score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, compared to the original's 95% score based on 288 reviews.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" is reported to need to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office performance of its 2016 animated version.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" has a Metacritic score of 45.

Fox News - The live-action remake of "Moana" received a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, which is an update from the previously reported 36% score.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" has a critics' score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, compared to the original's 95% score based on 288 reviews.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" is reported to need to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office performance of its 2016 animated version.

Fox News - The live-action remake of "Moana" received a 39% Rotten Tomatoes score, differing from the previously reported 36% score.

Yahoo - Critics described the live-action remake as "a waste of everyone's time and talent," and "competent but basically pointless," adding that it feels like a "superfluous piece of monetizable content."

Yahoo - The New York Times suggested the remake might be "the most pointless, and perhaps not accidentally, the worst" of Disney's remakes.

Fox News - The original "Moana" grossed $248.7 million at the domestic box office and $394 million internationally, totaling $643 million, which is nearly $900 million adjusted for inflation.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" received a 36% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, compared to the original's 95% score based on 288 reviews.

Fox News - The live-action remake debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 38% positive rating.

Yahoo - Critics described the remake as "soulless," "lifeless," and "pointless."

WHERE:

Fox News - The premiere of "Moana" took place at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

WHEN:

Fox News - The live-action remake of "Moana" is set to be released on July 10, 2026.

Yahoo - The live-action remake of "Moana" is floating into theaters on July 9, 2026.

WHY:

Yahoo - Critics argue that the remake fails to justify its existence and is seen as a cynical cash grab.

Fox News - Critics lament the loss of the original's heart and visual magic, questioning why a decade-old animation needed a near shot-for-shot remake.

HOW:

Yahoo - Dwayne Johnson defended the timing of the live-action remake, stating, "I never bought into this idea that 'You have to wait 20 years, you have to wait 30 years, it's too soon.'"

Yahoo - Critics described the visual effects of the live-action remake as "one step away from AI slop," highlighting the heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen effects.

Yahoo - Critics noted that the film's heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen effects made it feel "one step away from AI slop," with the visual effects described as "drab CGI."

Yahoo - The live-action version is criticized for its heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen effects, which some reviewers argue highlights what has been lost in the transition from animation to live action.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 15:45 UTC)

Disney's live-action "Moana" has made $4.5 million in previews from Thursday showtimes that began at 2 PM, but critics are not impressed, describing the film as "a lifeless retread" that lacks imagination and soul. Currently, it holds a disappointing 36% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, which is a slight drop from the previously reported 37%. In defense of the film's timing, Dwayne Johnson stated, "I never bought into this idea that 'You have to wait 20 years, you have to wait 30 years, it's too soon.'"

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 14:50 UTC)

The live-action remake of "Moana" has received a lukewarm reception, currently holding a 36% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a slight drop from 37%. Critics have described the film as "purposeless," with the Associated Press noting Dwayne Johnson's appearance as reminiscent of "Fabio hair." Johnson defended the timing of the remake, stating, "I never bought into this idea that 'You have to wait 20 years, you have to wait 30 years, it's too soon,'" as the film aims to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office success of its animated predecessor.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 11:53 UTC)

The live-action remake of "Moana" has received a mixed response, currently holding a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score based on 76 reviews, a slight improvement from an earlier 36%. Critics have labeled it as "Disney's safest and most unnecessary remake yet," reflecting a general sense of disappointment. In defense of the film's timing, Dwayne Johnson stated, "I never bought into this idea that 'You have to wait 20 years, you have to wait 30 years, it's too soon.'"

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 06:18 UTC)

The live-action remake of "Moana" has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a disappointing 38% positive rating and a critics' score of 36% based on 77 reviews, a stark contrast to the original's impressive 95% score from 288 reviews. It is reported that the new film will need to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office performance of its 2016 animated counterpart, and it currently holds a Metacritic score of 45. Critics have described the visual effects as "one step away from AI slop," pointing out the heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen technology.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 04:17 UTC)

Auliʻi Cravalho made a stunning appearance at the premiere of the live-action remake of "Moana" at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 7, 2026. The film has received a critics' score of 36% on Rotten Tomatoes from 77 reviews, a significant drop compared to the original's impressive 95% score, and it now sits at a 39% overall rating, up from 36%. Critics have pointed out that the visual effects heavily rely on CGI and green-screen technology, with some describing them as "one step away from AI slop," and the film is expected to earn close to $900 million worldwide to match the box office success of its animated predecessor.

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 02:51 UTC)

The live-action remake of "Moana" has received a 39% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a slight improvement from the previously reported 36%. Critics have harshly labeled the film as "a waste of everyone's time and talent," with some describing it as "competent but basically pointless," while The New York Times went as far as to call it potentially the worst of Disney's remakes. Many reviewers pointed out that the film's heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen effects contributed to its lackluster visuals, which were described as "drab CGI" and "one step away from AI slop."

(UPDATED July 10, 2026 01:29 UTC)

Dwayne Johnson is back as Maui in Disney's live-action remake of "Moana," with Catherine Laga'aia taking on the role of the adventurous wayfinder Moana. The film, which premiered at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, is set to hit theaters on July 9, 2026, but has already received a lukewarm response, debuting with a 38% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and facing criticism for being "soulless" and "lifeless." Critics are questioning the need for a near shot-for-shot remake of a beloved animated classic, lamenting the loss of its heart and visual magic while pointing to the heavy reliance on CGI and green-screen effects.