A Live-Action Moana? Disney, Please. Here’s Why We’re Not Here For It
Why yaar, Disney?
If you haven’t heard the tea, a live-action remake of Disney’s Moana is on the way, in keeping with the studio’s obsession to turn every second successful animated venture into live-action. And even though we know that Dwayne Johnson will be reprising his role as Maui, if you ask me, we aren’t too convinced about this one. First of all, let’s talk about the obvious elephant in the room: cultural appropriation. Moana was a groundbreaking film for many reasons, but one of the most important was its celebration of Polynesian culture and representation of Pacific Islanders on the big screen. If Disney were to cast non-Polynesian actors in the live-action version, it would be a slap in the face to the entire community.
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But even if Disney manages to cast authentically, there are still plenty of reasons why a live-action Moana is a bad idea. For starters, the film’s animation was a huge part of its charm. The vibrant colours, fluid movements, and expressive facial expressions brought the characters to life in a way that would be nearly impossible to replicate with live actors. Not to mention, the music was an integral part of the film’s success. Can you imagine trying to recreate “How Far I’ll Go” or “You’re Welcome” with live performers? The enchantment simply couldn’t be replicated.
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And let’s be real, even if they managed to cast amazing actors and somehow capture the same level of visual and musical splendour, there’s always the risk of ruining the original. Disney has a long history of unnecessary remakes that do little more than dilute the legacy of the original film. Thankfully, it seems like we’re not alone in our scepticism about a live-action Moana. With people from all over the world expressing their disapproval of the idea. Tweeple know what’s up.
Let it die, dear GOD! pic.twitter.com/i5S4bT37wZ
— Rendy Jones (@rendy_jones) April 3, 2023
moana best disney princess but no
i am now convinced that disney doesn't respect animation as a medium because moana is in its best possible form as an animated movie, they can never replicate the power of these scenes in live action https://t.co/XMrPELtOXb pic.twitter.com/NyxW8I3Iou
— skort (@courtdarrel) April 4, 2023
Literally no one:
Disney: let's make a new live action film coz why not#Disney #Moana pic.twitter.com/9dpSZi3lhc— Ritesh Singh (@dramaticequeen) April 4, 2023
For better or worse, I’ve seen all the Disney live action remakes but I draw the line at Moana.
Remaking a movie that’s not even 7 years old is just pure embarrassment and I want no part of that. pic.twitter.com/HEb3FczzgL
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) April 3, 2023
We love Moana in all its animated glory. And we might just eventually give in and watch the live-action one out of sheer curiosity. But must we, really?
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