Catherine Laga'aia in a scene from ‘Moana'
| Photo Credit: Disney
Ten years ago, Disney released Moana, an animated film about a chief’s daughter who sails the ocean in search of the demigod Maui and returns the heart of the island goddess, Te Fiti. The film, a critical and commercial success, had an arresting visual palette, jokes, adventures and songs aplenty, and also created a new breed of Disney heroine.Moana was not a damsel in distress waiting to be awakened by a kiss from Prince Charming. She was a chief-in-waiting, anointed by the ocean itself to venture beyond the safety of the reef and save her island. There was a sequel, Moana 2, in 2024, which was well on the downward slide to mediocrity. Now comes a live-action remake of the animated film, which is stunning only in its soulless replication of frames.
Catherine Laga'aia in a scene from ‘Moana’
| Photo Credit:
