When my kid was 2 years old, his favorite thing in the world was the Moana movie. It was his birthday party theme, his favorite toys, and songs. (If you can’t sing every line of the Lin-Manuel Miranda songs, are you even a Moana fan?) Now that he’s 9, I made him promise to see the new live-action Moana movie with me. We recently watched the new film in theaters, but I’ll admit, it had me (and a few editors on our team) wondering whether or not the Moana remake is actually worth seeing. As a true Moana fan, it’s only fitting that I give my honest review of the live-action remake.
In recent years, Disney has had a line of live-action remakes. Viewers and Disney fans have argued that live-action remakes like The Lion King and Lilo & Stitch make sense. Given that their animated versions debuted in the ‘90s and early 2000s, a redo was much of a refresh to introduce those Disney classics to a new generation. However, when the original Moana was released in 2016, it was (and still is) praised for its beautiful visual effects, leaving fans asking if their cinematic experience of the live-action would even compare. With the release of the new film, is the adaptation a success or a flop? If you, too, want to know whether or not the live-action Moana is worth seeing and if it’s OK for kids, I’m reviewing everything you need to know. Keep scrolling for all the details and my final verdict. Let’s dive in!
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Is the live-action Moana worth seeing? My quick verdict
My quick verdict is this: it is VERY much worth it and OK for little kids. I strongly recommend adding this fun family flick to your summer movies list this year. But is the live-action Moana OK for little kids? And how does it compare to the original?
Moana live-action review scorecard:
- Overall: ★★★★☆
- Kids: 5/5
- Parents: 4/5
- Best age: 4+
- Runtime: 1h 55m
- Rated: PG (same as the original)
- Worth seeing in theaters? Yes
What is the live-action Moana about?
If you’re a fan of the original 2016 Moana, you can probably skip this. But in case you need a refresher, Moana is about a young girl (Moana) trying to save her dying island. With the help of a demigod named Maui (played hilariously by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who also voiced the original), Moana embarks on a journey to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti so that her island can continue to thrive.
Is the live-action Moana better than the original?
In short, no. But that doesn’t make it a flop in my opinion. The 2016 Moana was a nearly perfect movie. An exciting new and adventurous heroine. A hilarious tattooed demigod and a silly chicken. All brought to life with incredible visuals and the unforgettable soundtrack by Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda. I may be biased, as we watched the animated film at least twice a week for two years. But it is in my top five of all-time Disney movies.
How the visuals compare to the animated film
The Disney live-actions and remakes have not hit for me recently, so I was skeptical going into this movie. So, in reviewing the visual effects, is the live-action Moana better than the cartoon? No. The visuals are amazing, but attempting to capture the beauty of Motunui, the intricacy of Te Fiti’s floral patterns, Te Ka’s scary lava, and even the coconut monsters in CGI doesn’t feel as special as the cartoon.
The storyline is pretty much the same
As far as the story goes, it’s pretty much the same. Down to almost every word. There are some new jokes that my 9-year-old was side-splitting laughing at. The characters and overall themes remain the same.
All of my favorite emotional moments from the original Moana still hit the same, too. And honestly, watching it next to my now big kid as he still enjoyed his favorite toddlerhood movie was a real special treat.
Is the live-action Moana Ok for kids?
Before you head out to the nearest movie theater, here are a few things to review and what parents should know about the live-action Moana.
There are some scary scenes
Similar to the original cartoon, there are many scenes of peril. Moana has a few boat accidents and goes up against some silly monsters. The scariest moments come when Te Ka, the lava monster, is on screen—particularly at the end. Even my 9-year-old whispered, “I’m scared.” Though I think his reaction was muscle memory—he remembers that scene being scary for him when he was little.
There are sad moments
There are many emotional scenes. Moana and her family tackle death, and elderly family members get sick as well. However, these scenes are done in a way that doesn’t feel too scary. As a parent, I’d be aware that these moments might make some kids feel sad.
Is there any bad language in the film?
If you’re OK with some potty jokes for your littlest ones, then you will be fine here. That’s as raunchy as it gets!
What’s the best age to watch the film?
Like I said, my son was obsessed with this movie when he was 2 and 3 years old. If your little one can handle the Te Ka jump scares, I wouldn’t shy away from this family-friendly flick. But it’s definitely OK for ages 5 and up, too. And I wouldn’t discount bringing older kids. They’ll remember loving it, and some jokes that may have gone over their heads at when they were young will now land amazingly.
What I love about the live-action Moana
There were many things I loved about seeing this movie in the theater. Here are a few of my favorite things I noted:
- There’s a new song! What I missed the most from Moana 2 was the soundtrack, with some of my favorite songs written by the one-and-only Lin-Manuel Miranda. So, I was really excited to learn there’s a new song by Miranda for this movie. It plays during the end credits and is sung by a trio of Catherine Laga’aia, Auli’i Cravalho (who voiced Moana in the animated film), and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
- The jokes—I don’t remember the original Moana being this funny. My son and I were laughing so hard at so many parts. Maybe it was because I was seeing it through the eyes of my kid, but either way, we had a lot of fun.
- More character development. With a few extra minutes of run time, we got a chance to get more scenes with Grandma Tala and a couple of new nuggets about Chief Tui’s adolescence.
What didn’t work for me in the film
- The Rock’s hair. Maui’s character has received some backlash over his wig. After all, it’s hard to picture The Rock with a full head of hair. Although I will say, it almost became part of what we thought was so funny.
- The acting wasn’t the best. At times, it felt like we were watching a Disney live show at the parks, which is OK, in my opinion, because it was still a fun experience. The Rock was great, and so was Catherine Laga’aia as Moana.
- Mama Tui (that’s what my son always called her!) still doesn’t get her dues. I was hoping that in this version Moana’s mom would get more screen time. One thing I noticed was that her name still isn’t spoken aloud in the live-action remake—though we do know her name is Sina.
Should you see the live-action Moana?
If you’re a fan of the original film, a Disney adult, or just love taking your kids to the movies (I do!), this is definitely worth an afternoon at the theater.
If you’re expecting this to be at the cinematic level of The Odyssey (spoiler alert, it’s not), or hoping for a very different movie, you might want to wait for streaming.
FAQs about the live-action Moana
Is the live-action Moana worth watching?
In my opinion, absolutely. If you’re not into the theater or your kids prefer the comfort of watching a film at home, I suggest waiting for when it’s available to stream. But I will add, it’s a really fun two hours with a kiddo!
Is the live-action Moana OK for kids?
Yes, absolutely. While a couple of scary scenes do exist (just like the original), it’s overall a fun family movie.
How different is the live-action Moana from the original?
It’s very similar. The live-action Moana has all the same songs as the original. Even the special effects and settings look pretty much identical. The dialogue is pretty much the same, with a few added jokes and minor shifts.
Is there a post-credits scene?
There is no post-credits end scene, but stick around to hear a new song. The newly minted “Along The Way” is also written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and sung by a trio of Catherine Laga’aia, Auli’i Cravalho (who voiced Moana in the animated film), and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
What age is the live-action Moana appropriate for?
Depending on your kid’s ability to handle some minor scary scenes, I would say you can easily take a 5-year-old to see this movie. I would also probably have taken my child when he was 3 or 4 years old.
Roberta Correia, Editor-in-Chief
Roberta is an editor with 10+ years experience in content strategy and brand building. Before joining The Everymom she was Editorial Director at Brides and previously served as Digital Editor at Women’s Wear Daily. She grew up in Brazil and currently calls Brooklyn home with her son, Lucas.
