Unlike a handful of other Disney remakes, this live-action version remains largely faithful to the plot of the original. We learn in the opening sequence the creation story of Moana’s people: Their island traces its origins to Te Fiti, a goddess with the power to create life. Te Fiti’s heart was then stolen by the demigod Maui, who, himself, was subsequently attacked by a fiery demon, who sent Maui, his magical fishhook, and the heart plunging into the ocean.
Although Te Fiti’s heart has been missing for 1,000 years, Moana’s people have managed to live in peace and prosperity – until now. Fish are disappearing from the reef, coconuts are spoiling, and a blight is spreading across the island.
But Moana’s father, Chief Tui, refuses to risk venturing beyond the reef. Believing the safest path is to remain on the island, he forbids anyone from sailing into the open ocean.
“No one goes beyond the reef. We are safe here. There is no darkness, and there are no monsters,” he says.
The plot turns when Moana’s grandmother, Tala, reveals the truth: Their island is slowly dying because of what Maui did centuries earlier. She also shares a long-forgotten part of their history – Moana’s ancestors were once great voyagers who explored the vast Pacific.
“The ocean chose you,” Grandma Tala tells Moana, encouraging her to set sail beyond the reef, find Maui, and place the heart back into the goddess Te Fiti.
Although presented in live action, many of the comical elements that made the 2016 film so charming return, including the goofy, clueless rooster, Moana’s lovable pet pig, the pint-sized coconut warriors, and Maui’s animated tattoos.
Of course, without animation, Maui’s larger-than-life expressions aren’t quite as effective, even though Johnson wears a 40-pound bodysuit to help recreate the character’s imposing physique.
Laga’aia is excellent as Moana. (Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the original animated films, does not reprise the role but serves as an executive producer on the live-action remake.)
Photo Credit: ©Disney