The Guardian has published a review of Disney's live-action remake of its 2016 animated hit Moana, awarding it a lukewarm verdict. The reviewer describes the film as competent but essentially pointless, a "back-to-basics" retelling that adds little to the original and comes across as a cynical, commercially driven exercise. The critique matters as another example of Disney recycling its animated catalogue into live-action form with diminishing creative returns.

The remake features screenwriter Jared Bush reworking his original script, Broadway veteran Thomas Kail making his film directing debut, and Lin-Manuel Miranda's songs revived. Nineteen-year-old Australian Samoan actor Catherine Laga'aia plays Moana, with Rena Owen as her grandmother Tala, while Dwayne Johnson reprises the demigod Maui. The reviewer praises some humour from Johnson and his rapport with Laga'aia, but says he seems on "autopilot". A central criticism is that the film is so saturated with CGI that it is effectively another animation rather than genuine live action.