Disney’s live-action Moana has flopped HARD with critics, so here’s why everyone hates it

Disney has spent the last few years turning some of its biggest animated classics into live-action films, but Moana looks like it could be one of the studio’s biggest misses yet.

The remake, based on the hugely popular 2016 animated film, is finally hitting cinemas this week. But instead of winning people over, it’s been absolutely savaged by critics, earning one of the lowest review scores of any Disney live-action remake.

At the time of writing, Moana is sitting on just 36 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s the fourth-lowest score for a Disney live-action remake, and a pretty grim start for what was expected to be one of the studio’s biggest releases. So… what actually went wrong?

The biggest criticism popping up across reviews is that nobody really felt this remake needed to exist in the first place. Unlike films such as The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, Moana is still incredibly recent. The original only came out in 2016, meaning people haven’t exactly had decades to become nostalgic for it.

Critics also say the remake struggles because it sticks so closely to the original without ever improving on it. Where the animated version was praised for its vibrant colours, gorgeous ocean animation and memorable character designs, reviewers argue the live-action version replaces that magic with actors standing in front of blurry CGI backgrounds that never quite capture the same energy.

Rolling Stone’s David Fear summed up that criticism by writing: “The live-action Moana is simply spectacle that’s indistinguishable for any other generic spectacle out there, it’s peak Disney déjà vu.”

Even before release, there were signs the film might struggle. When the first trailer dropped back in March, much of the internet became distracted by Dwayne Johnson’s appearance, with his long curly wig quickly becoming one of the biggest talking points rather than the film itself.

The disappointing reviews could also end up affecting the box office. Industry analysts currently predict Moana will make somewhere between $50 million and $85 million during its opening weekend in the US. That’s less than half of what Disney’s Lilo & Stitch remake pulled in over the same period last year, and well below what many expected from one of Disney’s biggest modern franchises.

The mixed reception comes after wildly different fortunes for Disney’s recent remakes. While Snow White reportedly lost the studio around $170 million, Lilo & Stitch became one of 2025’s biggest films and went on to earn around $1 billion worldwide.

Whether Moana can overcome its rough start remains to be seen, but based on the early reviews, this is looking less like Disney’s next remake success story and more like another reminder that not every animated classic needs the live-action treatment.